150 years…. love for wood
A book about
Kähr’s development from spinning wheels
to modern wooden floors
"Kährs wood flooring is not just a floor. It is
an investment in lasting value. It is proof that beauty is the result of both
external and internal quality. “
Source: Kährs inspiration
booklet published in 1977
Translated
to English with Google Translate 2012
Editing
by Bruce Uhler
Copyright:
AB Gustaf Kähr
Projektredaktör,
research och textbearbetning: Janne Larsson
Grafisk
form: Peter Lorentzon
Foto:
Jennifer Nemie, Magnus Johansson, Kährs arkiv och bildbank.
Redaktionskommitté:
Helén Johanson, Magnus Johansson, Åke Petersson,
Janne
Larsson, Peter Lorentzon.
Produktionsledning:
Robert Glader
Utgiven
av:
AB
Gustaf Kähr,
Box
805,
382
28 Nybro.
Tfn:
0481-460 00,
e-post:info@kahrs.se
www.kahrs.se
ISBN
978-919770271-3
Tryckeri/bokbinderi:
Kristianstads Boktryckeri
Produktion:
Roxx Media Sverige, ett varumärke i Roxx Communication Group AB
Box
164,
598
23 Vimmerby
Tfn:
0492-793 00
Sources: Kährs staff newsletter
Lamella-Posten and Kährs in Focus, Kährs inspiration catalog, anniversary
publications, speeches, newspaper clippings, interviews with Åke Petersson and
interviews with various people made by the journalist, Inge Wennberg. Thanks
to all who had agreed to interviews and participated, examined the texts and
otherwise contributed.
AB Gustaf Kähr
December 2007
AB Gustaf Kähr
KÄHRS 1857-2007
5 Foreword
9 Introduction
11 Kährs business today
27 The first settlers in Nybro
33 Innovator Gustaf Kähr
49 From the multi-layer to Woodloc
75 The marketing organization formed
87 The sons carried on the tradition
95 Technique is World Class
105 Proximity to become the last chapter
125 Kährs doors was for long a leading product
133 Kährs machine division built factories in many countries
143 Kährs Furniture - one of the nation's largest furniture dealers
153 Toys and games (wooden)
161 Husband, manager and person - Gustaf Kähr
173 Life in the factory
183 Profiles of Kährs
197 Curiosities – Memorable Events
AB Gustaf Kähr
is a description of how a small enterprise in Nybro could develop into a
world-leading wood flooring manufacturer. This book involved many people who
all to a greater or lesser extent have been involved in the success story and many
more people who are a part of the history. To mention all of them is impossible
of course as it is impossible to describe in detail all the developments,
therefore we have chosen a selection of large and small stories that have
characterized Kährs to today. It is an impressive and exciting progression that
lead to its 150th anniversary, Kährs, the world's oldest, active engineered
hardwood flooring company.
Still, the
company is located in Nybro, Sweden in the same place, right in the Småland
forests, where it all started when John Frederick Kähr the elder began turning
spinning wheels in 1857. That his small lathes would develop into a large
industrial concern and 150 years later as one of the leading producers of wooden
floors and one of the most innovative wood products company, he could of course
have no idea. Possibly the grandson Gustaf Kähr, early ancestor, 100 years ago
took over the business that his grandfather had started, that he realized it
should be possible to develop into something big. Gustaf Kähr turned out to be
a true entrepreneur, great innovator and understood early on the big potential that
forest raw material gave to manufacturers and development of all sorts of products
of wood.
1857 John Frederick
Kähr Elder moved from Mönsterås to central Stockholm, where he established himself
and started a spinning wheel business. The business was passed on to son John
Frederick Kähr and when the spinning wheel was done, they moved production to
the manufacture of household items, furniture and toys.
1907 Gustav Kähr took
over the movement and he would become a major industry pioneer. 1919 the
company became public limited company, AB Gustaf Kähr, with the family Kähr as
shareholders.
1935 can be seen as the start of the Kährs door manufacturing, which Gustaf
Kähr received the patent on (the modern wooden door), a lamella based,
multi-layer wood system, which laid the foundation for production of door
accessories and doors from the factory.
1941 Gustaf Kähr was granted the first and most important patent for
engineered hardwood flooring (today’s modern wood floor).
1946 Floor Production began in earnest after the Second World War II.
1961 was formed the Swedish Door AB and the country's four leading door
manufacturers were consolidated. Kährs
doors were for a long time one of Kährs main products. In the same year there
was formed Kährs Machinery Ltd, which became a new business where Kährs designed,
sold and delivered entire, turnkey factories.
1970 Kährs marketing was formed. Thereafter Kährs seriously grew its
export growth led by Ulf Kähr, paving the way to the current activity in which
all of Europe and the U.S., Canada (North America) are Kährs main markets. Today
they have their own sales forces in 11 countries and work active in more than
40 (over 50 today in 2012) markets worldwide.
1978 Kährs streamlined its operations in Nybro only to engineered
hardwood flooring, which meant that the door production and Kährs equipment was
sold and Kährs Furniture liquidated.
2000 launched Woodloc®, which meant that Kährs was the first in the
world to launch revolutionary new wood floors, with a unique glueless floor
joint.
2007 Kährs celebrates its 150th anniversary and can look back on an
impressive and exciting developments leading up to now the world's oldest
active engineered hardwood floor manufacturing.
9 Introduction
Today, the world's oldest active producer of engineered flooring Kährs
has survived many changes in the market, trends and changing business cycles. It
has always been at the forefront of product development. Moreover, and
importantly, it had the ability to feel what the market needs and where trends
are going, crucial components to beating good competition. Most important to
Kährs is there has always been a corporate culture that strives for quality improvement
and innovation. These factors make the exclusivity and quality part of the characteristics
of Kährs floor today. However, the road to today's Kährs has been lined with a
variety of different wood products, everything from spinning wheels, toys,
furniture, movie theater interiors, doors and hardware equipment and even
entire factories, until 1978, when it decided to focus all resources on wood
flooring production. The most important starting point for the flooring
business was Gustaf Kährs’ first patent for multi-layer flooring, which he
obtained in February 1941. The technology and its construction design are so
brilliant and clever that even today's modern hardwood floors use the same
techniques.
Kährs
business today
2007 finds Kährs 150 years old and celebrating by
including the launch of several floors in new collections. Kährs has gone from a
simple, wood turning business for local customers to become a world-leading
producer of hardwood floors with sales in more than 40 (55-today) markets
worldwide.
13 AB Gustaf Kähr Today
The combination of a long heritage, craftsmanship, a passion for design
and new technology allows Kährs to be at the forefront of the development of
modern wood flooring. Behind today's Gustaf Kähr AB is not the least, many
forward-thinking innovations and a great ability to both develop new products and
predict what the future market needs. For Kährs future, it must continue to develop
very innovative, sustainable products, in the spirit of Gustaf Kähr, and an
example is the Woodloc® joint. With this revolutionary joint system, Kährs
strengthened its leading position in the market. The products are quality
certified (ISO 9001) and environmental certified (14001) and under the
environmental certification EMAS (eco-management audit scheme). Kährs’ main
markets are all of Europe and the USA, Canada. Overall, the company is active
in more than 40 markets worldwide and has its own sales forces in 11 countries.
Primary customers are builders and dealers of wood flooring (B2B). Kährs
successful work and highly regarded products is also proven by the fact that
the company's hardwood floors are installed in many famous buildings worldwide.
Some examples are the opera house in Prague in the Czech Republic, The Performing
Arts Centre, St Swithun's School,
Winchester in the UK and Van Palace in Beijing, China. Yet despite modern
technology, the knowledge and eye for products is still of utmost importance.
14 Kährs vision is
• to be perceived as the leading brand and the leading business partner
in parquet.
Kährs mission is
• to satisfy
the global need for high quality hardwood floors for residential and public
environments.
• to provide
a world class offering of innovative and environmentally friendly hardwood
floors.
• to provide
the best business relationship for professional dealers.
• to be among
the best in the industrialization of automation and innovations.
• to utilize and preserve their
relative size and its scale.
Kährs environmental policy is
• to comply
with laws and other requirements.
•
preventative work and focused on continuous improvement.
• to develop
and manufacture wood flooring, a life cycle perspective, according to the four
system conditions for sustainable development.
• to support
a long-term responsible forestry.
• to support
customers and stakeholders with transparent information on the environment.
• that in all
decisions take into account the possibility of reducing the climate impact of transport
and energy use.
Coffee
cups in the “Café Parkett” are also part of the environmental work on Kährs
where disposable cups are no longer in use by the staff.
17 Ecological wood flooring
The entire Kährs range originates from ecological systems. The basic
approach of the company's ecological approach is respect and reverence for that
which nature provides. Forests provide not only natural raw materials but also
improves the air we breathe through creation of oxygen, providing water
protection, soil conservation and recreation in nature. The trees also take up
carbon dioxide through photosynthesis; the consequence is reduction of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere that counteracts the greenhouse effect and climate
change. Pioneers environmentally, Kährs has long given priority to an ambitious
environmental work. There are several early evidences of this. Even before internal
environmental work became public, practice Kährs started its own environmental
efforts. More than 20 years ago, they developed a finish for the flooring production;
a revolutionary change in that UV lacquer was introduced. This replaced the
previous acid-curing lacquer with paint and solvents, which made Kährs, in
1984, the first floor manufacturer that could produce a solvent-free production
lacquer system. Even the glues were changed for the better. In the '80s there were
two new adhesive systems developed that provided environmental benefits and
allows the company products to easily meet today's environmental standards. 1991
launches ICC's Business Charter for sustainable development- 16 principles for
sound environmental management. Kährs heads ongoing education under the ICC
principles and endorses them. Kährs conducted training of all employees in
connection with its EMAS registration. During the 1990's there were strong
measures taken to reduce noise from the factory that sits in the middle of
Nybro. To cope with current noise requirements, Scandinavia's largest filter plant with more
than 60 fans and 15 filters, was put into place at the factory and it is
evidence of good environmental work. The fans move tons of shavings from the factory
floor to the energy center without affecting the surroundings with any dust or
particles. It was, in 1993, quality certified (ISO 9001) and then in 1997 it
earned the environmental certification (ISO 14001). Transparency is a virtue
and since 1997, Kährs has been registered in accordance with the EU
environmental standard (EMAS) and publishes an annual report of its environmental
findings. The current registration is available on the Kährs website.
19
Each log is assessed
Respect for what nature provides characterizes everything that happens
on Kährs, from the tree will selected and until a finished wood floor is delivered
anywhere in the world. To 99 percent renewable materials used in the
manufacture of Kährs lamella based and veneer floors. In addition to processing
the raw material, it is also about taking advantage of the wood inherent
qualities and beauty. Each individual log is inspected, and its natural shape
and patterns are used to create unique wood flooring with character.
Replanting all forests
The selection begins in the forest where the forest owner selects,
harvests and then transports the raw material for Kährs sawmills. In the
forefront is wood from forests in Scandinavia and Europe. In Sweden alone, the
number of wood suppliers to Kährs is over 3 000. A forest owner travels and
delivers oak to Kährs for flooring on average once every ten years. Kährs
recommend thinning and gap felling and thus a natural regeneration, to provide
future trees and a forest for future generations to stay in.
Environmentally conscious
production
Since the range also has many beautiful woods from different parts of
the world, we must also promote global environmental awareness. Therefore, use
Kährs only tropical timber from countries that are members of International
Tropical Timber Organization, ITTO. All members committed to promoting sustainable
forestry. When purchasing tropical type of wood you choose, therefore, wherever
possible raw materials from forests managed in a responsible manner and then
primarily from vendors, which are FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) or
PEFC certified(Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and thus can
document that they engage in environmentally responsible forestry and timber
production. Since 2005, the Kährs FSC certified and able to supply FSC certified
products.
20
Waste wood energy for heating and
electricity
Even Kährs use of heating energy is based on renewable raw materials,
mainly from its own waste wood byproducts from sawmills and the production of
floors. This biomass energy is used to produce district heating in Nybro’s central
town and parts of Kalmar. Kährs long-term work with recycling and energy
recovery has also resulted in continued smaller quantities to landfill and
hazardous waste.
From landfills to waste
separation
During the 20th century opened a landfill site at Kährs current range. It
was decommissioned in 2003 after ten years of environmental work to go from
landfill to recycling and energy recovery.
Hundreds of different floor
When choosing flooring from Kährs there are the most choices in wood
flooring, through the vast amount of designs. Why so many floors do, you ask. Well,
simply because so as many people as possible can select their favorite, unique
floor. All Kährs wood floors are of very high quality. They are produced mostly
in three layers and are available as one, two and three-strip floors. Kährs two
main types of flooring: parquet with a thicker top layer that can be sanded
several times and veneer that, despite its thin surface layer is very hard and durable
because of its dense core. Substantially the installed floor liquid, which
means that the boards are, joined side by side and not on to the subfloor.
Floors for all tastes
Flooring range is divided in different thicknesses to be installed in
different environments and on different surfaces. The combination of thickness,
wood species and patterns provide Thus, about 100 different floors to choose
from, which means the floor for all tastes. The range includes more than a
dozen different woods, where each timber in most cases is available as 1-strip,
2-strip and 3-strip, and in different collections depending on the species,
nature, color, shape and surface.
22
Forest Design
Many of Kährs new products are practically designed by the forest
itself. Floors with different natural characteristics that have formed and been
characterized during a tree's life. Kährs rich variety of products and gradings
makes it possible to more efficient and to make the best use of the forests
land.
Kährs Design
Through various forms of treatments on the surface or the board creates
an additional dimension to the floor's appearance. When Kährs brushes the
surface phases boards edges and use different shades of finishes adds is a new
design and brings out the qualities.
The world's first glueless joint
on hardwood floors
Since
2000, when Kährs launched Woodloc® on the parquet, the world’s first glueless
joint, several million square feet of hardwood flooring Woodloc® joints sold
and delivered worldwide. Method is based on the floorboards are profiled so
that they upon admission automatically locked to each other. The advantages are
that it is easy to add with a good result, and that no glue need to be used, with
less environmental impact as a result. Beneficial is also Woodloc® joint is
better than a glued joint. If necessary even a few boards or the entire floor
can easily be replaced.
25
What exactly is 1 strip, 2-strip
and 3-strip?
Tree species have different color, character and patterns depending on how
the tree is cut. Therefore, to exploit this in the best way Kährs developed a
unique system to examine and sort the sawn wood after the character and
appearance. In this way produces, and provides Kährs Today the floor with
different looks, expressions and style. The portion of the floor board that you
see and walk on, that is, the surface layer, is cut from one piece is the
one-rod. It gives a lot of feeling of wood and wood natural appearance with
knots and variations in color and veining may full scope. You can also get
1-strip floor where you have specifically chosen the material to have less
variation in color and with few or no branches at all. 2-strip flooring is the
top layer consists of two strips in width. The top pieces are sorted so that
the floors can be given different character. Kährs 2-strip flooring is
available in two variants. A longer rod that is ideal for larger rooms, while
the variant with shorter rods also works well in smaller spaces. The 3-strip
surface floor has three rods of different lengths, which are placed in the
width and seemingly random order. This creates the floor of distinct character.
To obtain both a livelier and more peaceful feeling they are sorted in several
varieties. With 3-strip take a variety of decor options
Four generations of Kähr. Standing from left Gustaf Kähr and Johan Kähr,
the younger, Front row Olle (Olaf) Kähr and Johan Kähr, the Elder
27
The first settlers in Nybro
1857 Johan Fredrik Kähr moves
from Mönsterås to center (Nybro) where he sets up and starts
(spinnrockssvarveri) spinning wheel lathes.
1878 operations taken over by his
son John Frederick Kähr the younger.
1896 expanded
workshop facilities, introduction of machinery powered by kerosene.
29
Kährs first settlers
The Swedish industry grew largely out and developed in countryside. It
was populated with a good supply of available labor and proximity to raw
materials. In Småland, Nybro, a very rural county with the forest in the
corner, was established Kährs that can summarize a 150-year unbroken manufacturing
tradition of various wood products. The first pioneer or settler behind today's
AB Gustaf Kähr was John Frederick Kähr (1828-1919). He was born in Mönsterås
and was the son of a turner, and took the profession further. 1857 and 29 years
old, he moved to central Stockholm, where he settled and founded a lathe
operation. That he was a skilled craftsman can be attested by the finely turned
parts he made for the gates for the church in Mönsterås.
Turned spinning wheels
His brought his foot-powered lathe that he pulled with a wagon. With him
was also a chest with his tools and his clothes, when he went to central
Stockholm, a journey of more than five hundred kilometers. During the first
five years, he exercised his craft in the dwelling he rented. Then he built a
workshop, which also housed the residence for his family. On this pathway, he
started the manufacture of spinning wheels, which was the primary production
and at the time, a frequently used product in many homes. In the 1880s when he
moved from spinning wheels to the making of furniture, toys and housewares. He
also made ornaments and other things. An example of this was a nutcracker of
birch with wood screws. His only mechanical tools were the old pedal lathes.
John Frederick Kähr also founded the Mission Church in Nybro 1872.
30-31
The enterprise was passed down to his son John Frederick Kähr the
Younger (1855-1926), and in 1878 it became his factory and he took over the
business. He built on the property his residence, and built a special workshop
on the proerpty. As a neighbor, he had a tinplate maker, Berggren. When North
Long Street (now avenue) would be given a new route there was John Frederick
Kähr D.Y. and another neighbor having to move their houses, so that it was
possible to link the street's east way and west way. Kähr moved to a new plot,
and moved his existing house. The home was disassembled and rebuilt, while the
workshop was pulled to its new location. This was in 1896.
Repayment of removal costs
The parish council repaid John Frederick Kähr D.Y. for moving costs with
1576 SEK and 60 öre for the residential building. In addition, 350 SEK for relocation
of the workshop and SEK 155 for moving the barn and wooden out buildings and
SEK 50 for moving the fence. But, John Frederick Kähr requested an additional
payment. In his letter he wrote: "Rent for another dwelling during the period
of rebuilding in progress with 60 SEK. For removal costs two times 40 SEK.”
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR KÄHRS
For constrained working hours short of the workshop in 50 days for
myself, a 1.50 per day, 75 dollars, and for my assistant 0.75 per day, 37
dollars and 50 cents, or together with the estimate which is 2131 kr 60 ore,
sum of SEK 2,344 kr 10 ore. Nybro September 30, 1895, Johan Kähr ". Requirements
that parish council agreed to, without hesitation. In 1896 John Frederick Kähr
D.Y. had a workshop on the property next door. He put in new machinery that had
a kerosene engine power. The entire family, father and mother and six children,
were now working there. The toy manufacturing, which included the games croquet
and skittles were the specialty.
33
Innovator Gustaf Kähr
1907 On March
23, grandson Gustaf Kähr assumed the managerial position. That same year,
modernization and the introduction of electrical driven power were introduced.
Fabrication focused on furniture and toys and now 5-6 persons were employed.
1912 expanded
production area with a three-story factory building.
1916 and also
1920 and 1932 fires occurred in the factory.
In 1918, the
number of employees increased to approximately 150 people and a turnover of EUR
600000-700000 dollars.
1919 the
company became a public limited company with the family Kähr as shareholders.
Chairman and Chief Executive was Gustaf Kähr. Technical leader and manager
became Sture Kähr.
1921
installed a steam engine with a boiler, which supplied the company with power,
lighting of 350-400 lights and heat for drying, pressing and the premises.
1926,
production of shop fittings. Later
expanding this activity into wall panels, cinema seats and also hotel, cafe and
restaurant furniture.
1930 Kährs
had a booth at the Stockholm exhibition where they showed a bedroom furniture
in a functional style. The manufacture of furniture was now an important part.
1935 Gustaf Kähr
filed a patent for a multi-layer wood design, for the manufacture of doors; this
was also the main idea behind multi-layer flooring.
1941 February
7, Gustav Kähr received the first, and very important patent for multi-layer
wood flooring.
35
So became hardwood floors from
Kährs, a hallmark worldwide
Gustaf Kähr (1887-1971) and it would become a major industry pioneer. Already
in his teens, he became his father's assistant. When John Frederick Kähr in
1907 ceded it to his son, he was just 20 years old, but Gustaf Kähr was already
evidence that he was an innovator with vision. The plant employed five or six
people and its turnover was approximately SEK 10 000. Ten years later, the work
force went to 150 people and the turnover was 600000-700000 SEK. 1919 the
company became public limited company, AB Gustaf Kähr, family Kähr as
shareholders. Gustaf Kähr appointed himself to Chairman and Chief Director. The
year when Gustaf Kähr took over the business was also the start of other well known
Swedish companies, the Swedish ball bearing manufacturer, SKF in Gothenburg,
three sugar beet farmers formed the Swedish Sugar Factory Ltd, SSA, and in
Borås was founded the textile company Algot Johansson B (Algots). It was also
the year when the first Swedish “Mayflower” went on sale, and the Swedish Royal
Couple Oscar II and Queen Sofia celebrated the golden wedding. The king died
later that year and was succeeded by Gustaf V. Furthermore, the first
helicopter flight was taken, it lasted for twenty seconds. The Dramatic Theater
was opened in Stockholm by August Strindbergb Master Olof and 1907 was also the
first Swedish beauty contest. Some famous people born this same year, Astrid
Lindgren, Zarah Leander, George Rydeberg, Ulla Billquist and the American
actors Katharine Hepburn and John Wayne.
When AB Gustaf Kähr was formed in 1919, the First World War had just ended. More Swedish companies
were founded, such as AB Electrolux AB, Swedish Film Industry, SF, and the
monopoly was given in 1919 to Systembolaget for the sale of alcohol to individuals.
That same year the Swedish parliament passed the Act on the eight-hour day for industry,
the work week before was 48 hours, because even Saturdays were a working day. The
Swedish kindergarten and elementary school were coordinated into a unified
six-year school, in the new curriculum was abolished almost completely
Catechism reading. Swedish Save the Children is formed and Evert Taube published
his first collection.
36-37
From craft to industrial
production
Gustaf Kähr was now 32 years old and had a great ability to see
possibilities for entirely new products and what a great resource forest raw
material was. Along the way, his grandfather's small lathes, from 1857, developed into something much larger. The
innovator and entrepreneur Gustav Kähr had plans for the future and began a
more industrial development. He was quick to take out patents on many of their
ideas. Kährs activities moved from craft to industrial production. Factory
machinery upgraded, for example had Kährs the first milling machine with ball
bearings, as well as the first air-powered drill in Nybro. It was purchased in
Stockholm in 1930 with a steam engine. A 125-horsepower steam engine and a
large boiler that supplied the cutters, saws, lathes, drilling, planing and
sanders with sufficient energy secured the power supply in the plant. The steam
engine also provided dryer arrangement with heating. Likewise, it warmed it up the
work areas and warehouses. The factory also had a generator, powered by a
dynamo machine, for lighting, which powering 350-400 lamps.
Several plant fires
The factory area was growing. As early as 1912 had Gustaf Kähr built a modern
factory on three floors. Unfortunately, the destroyed at a substantial fire in
1916, but by Christmas the same year, a new factory was built, now in brick. In
addition, built a large office and warehouse building were built. However, the fires
were not over. 1920, once again a fire ravaged the factory and the most of the
office building was destroyed. Another fire hit the company in 1932 As before, they
rebuilt the fire-ravaged buildings, 1932 another expansion was made. Most buildings
were built by their own construction department, which can be compared with
today's maintenance department. Their only mechanical aid at first was a cement
mixer. The men had to rely on their own skill and hands to make the iron
structures, joists, roof and other building units to be constructed. Those were
the days. Or as Nils Lindvall has described those days in an interview:
"They were big strong bergsprängartyper that could move machines without
either tractors or lifters. "Production was now different furniture, but
at the same time, activities focused more on toys. At a time when toy
manufacturing, which also consisted of various games, Kährs dominant activity.
Gustav also put out a lot home work in the cottages. It was the job of toys and
games.
39
On the furniture side was in the 1930s stopped the movie theater seats a
large article. A new product was also the production of shop interiors, wall
panels, cinema seats and special furniture to hotels, cafes and restaurants. Among
other things furnished Stockholm's largest cinema, Victoria-cinema, with
furnishings from Kährs. Although hotel Ambassadeur in Stockholm decorated by
Kährs. Standard dishes for stores was such that we today can find of
watchmakers and jewelers - with glass top. Otherwise, delivered you most to
order and often the whole shop fittings.
businessman
Gustaf Kähr was also a businessman who bought the business and real
estate. One of these was Flerohopps glassworks. Not for their production of
glödlampskolvar, but to get over the forest floor. At one of these crises Kosta
Glassworks, he bought, along with business associates, the use of woodland and
sent glass workers in the forest waiting for better times. Gustav was also
there and bought Ribersborg area in Malmö and then sold it to a number of
builders on condition that Kährs was delivering parquet floor. The cars in
Malmö did not return empty. On the way home they carried with them book cuts
from Skåne sawmills. In Nybro sawn pieces the tread surfaces that are
compressed on a wood frame. The so-called Bokettgolvet was born.
I saw new possibilities
When Gustaf toured in Sweden and sold the company's furniture, toys and interior,
he visited many sawmills. Tanks were brought to him that it should be possible
to use logs more efficiently, thus minimizing spill. He also saw opportunities
to manufacture new products. His ideas would lead to both Kährs lamelldörrar
and engineered flooring, that the company took on to new heights and into new
product areas.
40-41
Established many customer
contacts
Early built Gustaf Kähr up a valuable contact. It started when in his
youth he traveled around selling products that his family made. Contacts
established back then as he later life was to good use. He met with end users
and buyers and received clear information about what was sellable and not.
Responsive to market signals, those days changes and the ability to perceive
and early develop signals to the finished construction products, in the form of
lamelldörrar and engineered flooring, is an explanation for his success. By that
he built up customer contacts sales were largely completed when the production
came in time. Clever marketing, we would call it today.
The start of major industry
1932 can be seen as the beginning of the era that brought Kährs up to a
major industry. Then began Gustaf Kähr plan for making lamelldörrar and
designed their own machines for such production. He realized need to develop a
more mechanized construction materials industry and saw also a market in front
of him that needed more refined building components. 1935 searched Gustaf Kähr
patent for a lamellplatta of wood, intended for manufacture of doors, which
also was the main idea lamellgolvpatentet. The first and very important patent
for multi-layer was he February 7, 1941. Gustaf Kährs first patented
lamellgolvbräda built on making a hardwood flooring in several cross overlying
strata to minimize wood movement. 1939, Kährs started test production of floors
in Nybro and in 1943 started to pass the 2-ply Bokett, Ekett and
Björkettbräderna.
41
The Second World War
At the same time, it was now an anxious time. World War II affected
production in Kährs, like those of many other companies. During the war the plant
produced in Nybro shelter doors. The importation of the commonly used precious
wood was stopped was also produced tires planks and deck hatches in the pine Shipyard.
When war broke out the Kährs single truck was requisitioned. Transports were
arranged in another way. Outbound deliveries was handled by the railroad. For
local transportation, in Nybro, there was used a horse-drawn carriage.
Concentrated on doors and floors
In order to meet a market that had finished construction components Kährs
focused on developing the door and floor products to provide such an advanced
stage of completion stage as possible. The aim was that they would be finished and
ready to be installed on site. They would also correspond high standards of
quality and relevant technical standards. This resulted in the Kährs introduced
at the factory and the furled surface-door. Previously, these operations are
small-scale at the site.
As the doors and floors were Kährs thrust demanded production more and
more resources. This meant that Kährs furniture and toy manufacturing gradually
phased out. Meanwhile, a new furniture branch started by trading Kährs
Furniture was founded in 1944th The company's focus was the sale of furniture
directly to consumers. Manufacturing accounted other furniture manufacturers of.
Sales statistics in 1946 showed that more than half the proportion,
(54.5%) low on doors, hatches, panels, frames, laminated wood and other
woodwork. Then came the furniture sold by Kährs Furniture Ltd (17.2%), followed
by toys, children's furniture, games, residence, crafts and sports equipment (12.2%),
engineered flooring and bowler floor (9.9%), furniture wholesale (3.4%) and deck
planks (2.8%).
42
Industrial Man Olle (Olaf) Kähr
takes over
1947 when Gustaf Kähr turned 60, the family business while 90-årsjublierade
Gustaf handed the responsibility as head of his eldest son Olle (Olaf) Kähr
(1913-1973). He thus became the fourth generation Kähr that brought on the
family tradition. Olle Kähr was an important engine and agents for the
company's technical development. His philosophy was that as much as possible
should be done at the factory. This resulted in the AB Gustaf Kähr was first to
market with such färdigytbehandlade floor as well as doors with painted frames
and fully furled dörrset. 1951 production was approximately 20 000 doors and 60
000 square meters parquet per year. In the same year was appointed Rune
Ottosson as technical director, and a thorough focus on the rationalization and
mechanization followed. The evolution of technology within the company and the
knowledge they had, did that Kährs designed and built his own machinery. Why not
take advantage of its technological capabilities at a wider scale? It did
Kährs, which led to the subsidiary Kährs Machines AB was founded in the early
1960's. But really it was nothing new to it offered its expertise externally. As
early as 1937, Gustav Kähr launched the sale of manufacturing rights and
"know-how.”
44
Gustaf Kährs involvement in Nybro
Gustaf Kähr was not only a great industrialist, but also rooting for his
hometown. He became involved in many community and accounted for more
Significant efforts in Nybro. As a 30-year-old he was elected president in
Nybro Norrköping Municipal Committee. An early issue on the agenda which
required an early solution was electrical energy to the town. An old private
utilities had played out their role. The new solution was Uvafors waterfall in
Alsterån where built a power station, which was of great importance to the
entire community. Gustaf Kähr was also an important force to Nybro became a
city January 1, 1932 He was then chairman of the city investigation committee
and was elected then chairman of the city government. It was his first project
to work for the establishment of a Town Hall and Hotel in Nybro, which it became.
But it was not easy and to achieve this. The first required a couple of
important visit to Stockholm. Along with some people he went to Stockholm to
receive remove the capital to build. There was no money, because Nybro had low
unemployment! Gustav did not give up with that answer, but went home and kicked
completely ado some guys in the factory at Kährs. He then went again to Stockholm,
revealed new figures unemployment, and now succeeded in getting capital to the
town hall, which in 1935 stood clearly associated with the hotel. The point is
that the guys who got kicked back their jobs and Nybro residents were both new
city hall and a fine hotel. Around the same time took Nybro also to build a new
school building for then local middle school. Before Gustav Kähr settled in Stockholm,
he participated also to Nybro congregation was formed 1938.
46
Much has evolved in Nybro
Municipality thanks to Kährs
It is easy to say Kährs has served as an important engine for municipal
development and the necessary investments over the years. IN As the company has
expanded has society evolved to satisfy its needs. It has been built homes, but
also education, child care and infrastructure has been adapted to Kährs growth.
As one of Kalmar's largest companies have Kährs also contributed to there have
been many other companies in Nybro municipality. This has also Bernt Svensson,
who for 19 years, the Social Democratic Mayor of Nybro, testified. "Kährs
is on its way, from a small firm into a major company with 1400 employees,
played a major role in the development of Nybro municipality. Ownership is
shifted in recent years. It has been both pros and cons of it. One of the
drawbacks, I think, that Kährs is Swedish-owned anymore. But you get accustomed
to the world becomes more and more international. This is it is everywhere and
as long as employment does get accepted, "said the former mayor in an
interview 2003 He said that while not always been easy for the municipality keeping
up, and took up an example: "I remember one year when they hired several
hundred new ones. Then we had huge difficulties in arranging housing and child
care. "
Praise Worth environmental
He gave high marks to Kährs ability to work with the municipality. "Transparency
has been complete. It shall have praise. An important issue for the
municipality have been emissions from the plant. Kährs facilities located in
the middle of town. "There they were a little reluctant for a while, but
then they turned their development in an admirable manner. The problems were
eliminated and Kährs became a pioneer as certified environmental company.
" Several times Bernt Smith also agreed to renew Kährs fuel contracts with
the municipality. "It is excellent that the excess energy, which otherwise
would have gone to waste, can heat the entire central town by district heating.
In addition, also sells Kährs heat to Graninge supplying to other
municipalities. "
47
Doors
and floors soon created a very high demand, which led to the furniture and toy
production gradually phased out in 1940 - and 1950's. The structures of doors
and floors was perfected also retrospectively to correspond high standards of
quality and technological standards.
49
From parquet to Woodloc®
1939 started
test production of engineered flooring.
1941, Gustaf
Kähr the first floor the patent, the world's first multi-layer was patented.
1958 came the
first pre-finished floor, was brought into the floor primed and raw
I sanded and
varnished in place.
1973 was a
record year when Kährs first time sold more than one million square meters of
floor.
2000 launched
Woodloc ®, the unique glueless floor joint that makes the floor more easily
added.
2004,
Activity Floor, the new sports floor which is used at major sporting events.
50
The first sale laid the
foundation for a world
Today Kährs active in more than 40 markets. The basis of this market
development put Kähr Gustaf and his colleagues at an early stage. Of course, he
moved with his wife Ebba to Stockholm in 1938, where He founded the trading
company engineered flooring AB. The office was Kungsgatan 18 The company became
a general agency to dealers in Svealand and Götaland while SCA had Norrland.
The responsibility to lead the company received Gustaf's son Gosta Kähr, who
managed the economy, made all the statements and visited the dealer. Lamellgolvs
task was to sell products from AB Gustaf Kähr, Holmsunds plate and vinyl
flooring and Munksund bowler floor. In addition to floor selling engineered
flooring also door and window products. The main sales, 1945-1970, was the project's
sales to Swedish developers who essentially built the apartment block, and by year
contract with Swedish factories. Sales to consumers were minimal and export
sales virtually nonexistent.
Construction rush really took off
Good conditions for project sales successes that would be created Gustaf
Kähr 1941 when he contacted the HSB and Swedish housing, which was why he got
the contract on sale of parquet. It would prove to be very valuable when a
housing rush gained momentum in postwar Sweden, and demand for new material was
great. Gustaf visited the builders and architects. Flooring was also tasked to
monitor developments in construction and contribute ideas for product
improvements. Such idea led to lay flooring on a foundation of sand. Outside
Sweden Gustav Kähr worked during the 40's and partially on 50 -century,
primarily to sell their patents to various manufacturers in Europe. Gustaf
visited the U.S. several times, but apart from occasional deliveries were large
export orders take.
55 Floor Development
- From wood floor to Woodloc®
Production of Kährs floor actually started in Holmsund. The construction
Gustaf Kährs patented lamellbräda which he received a patent on the 1941st
The factory in Nybro did not have sufficient capacity for the new floors. Thus
wrote Gustaf Kähr in the early 40th century, a license agreement with SCAägda Holmsunds
AB, which would produce the first Multiestrato. The head there was a good
friend of Gustav, but when he came to Holmsund to negotiate, Gustaf, of course,
asked if he had any orders for floor. He had not, but directly he contacted
Sven Wallander, a famous architect who also was director and creator of the
HSB. Gustafsson was the positive news that HSB would buy about half a million
square meters. The order was thus the starting point for the production of multi-layer
boards.
Gaining ground for parquet floors
Meanwhile, development of production in Nybro, so 1943 could be start a
new manufacturing self-supporting floor in two layers, and also Boketten Björkett
and Ekett. Floors that came to be manufactured under the following 20 years
until 1965. 50's was a decade in which the parquet floors had a rapid growth. They
were made of oak, beech, ash, birch and pine. New manufacturing technologies and
installation methods held costs down. This meant that even "ordinary"
people could decorate their home with beautiful hardwood floors, instead of that
just have traditional linoleum. 1953 was parquet top of the program in Nybro.
Kährs started producing Eklamell in 19 millimeters. Only modest support but
gradually increasing volume. Eklamellen was supplemented in 1957 with a new
design for the Dutch pattern, the so-called krysstommen. After streamlining its
manufacturing technique came to be called Rutstommen, and persisted until the
end of the '80s.
A milestone in the flooring manufacturing was the late 50's when Kährs
came with factory-finished floors. Previously, they had just dictated, now left
completely finished painted floor factory. To cope with the developed grinding and
planing technique for high precision, which since then has been a hallmark of
Kährs floors throughout the years.
56
The period up to 1960 can be viewed as an introductory phase for
Multiestrato. Product development and creativity resulted then in a growing patterns
of flora, including came Kährs Star Stalls, Troika and Duet Designs.
Lamellbrädans thickness decreased and the floors began added liquid, by gluing
together planks in the joints. Flooring laid directly on a subfloor of concrete
as well as particleboard or other support.
Million program
For Kährs was worth gold when the housing shortage in Sweden, the
Government was to decide on that one million new homes would be built for ten
years, the so-called million program (see also page 64). 1967 saw a dramatic
change. The strong development of parquet in the 60s made the SCA said the
cooperation agreement with Kährs. They planned to build a new factory in
Holmsund that would produce three million square meters. A hard blow for Kährs.
A part of the economy and sales organization based on that also sell Holmsunds
products. In search of something else to sell did Olle Kähr up with linoleum
manufacturer Forshaga, so the summer of 1968 the Kährs sellers in Fors Haga's
sales organization.
Slowdown in global economy
The second half of the 70s was really tough. There were several reasons,
partly floor was all over the world economy of the Suez conflict and oil crisis
which greatly reduced the Swedish housing construction, and got Multiestrato competition
from carpeting. A fashion trend from the USA. Competition from carpets met
Kährs by launching green and brown stained wood floors. Also got a light pine
program and a dark range of tropical wood. The capacities in the industry had
been reduced and many factories closed down. Kährs had during the 70's bought
competitor oak parquet in Falkenberg. It was closed down. Junkers lamellfabrik
in Denmark were the same fate and parquet factory SCA in Holmsund would build never
materialized. Chip board had evolved into an increasingly interesting material,
so the 70th century Kährs manufacturing a cantilever-board, where the middle
layer was particleboard, and even a pair of cantilevered three-layered floor
entirely of wood. One offloors were designed for public spaces and therefore
had a thicker wear layer.
57
In the late 70's came the Actual renovation floor, just 10 mm thick. It
was Possible to add on top of old floor with no problems at sills and doors. Pine
Planks and live floor in brund and green Stood for renewal and was a huge
success as well as the dark with Donauek.
A new surge
Housing Construction was another boom in the mid 80's. It started in
nursing homes, group homes, student flats and public buildings. There Was Also
a renaissance of natural materials, Which benefited the wooden floors. Developed
by Kährs Tiljaprogrammet Ektilja, and Björktilja Tropiktilja. A series that was
to Become 80th century floor. The application was complemented with Wall Module,
a Slightly thinner floors. To Increase the potential patterns Developed after a
complete solution, a 4-ply floor construction Which is distressed to bothering
Holländsktoch Diagonal Pattern. Parallel Developed Kährs a complete sports
floor. The area was not new. During the 80's expanded Kährs light program with
birch, American maple, beech and ash. The collection came stained floors in
white, brown and pastel colors. On the product side Also under went Surface
treatment is a revolution as the UV varnish introduced in 1984. Kährs low sales
volume in 1980 millions of 1.25 square meter of floor. The Renaissance of
natural materials and parquet flooring made to volume ten years later it had
the rice to 3.5 million square meters per year. The 90's product resulted since
the MP board, a 3-strip product That bothering the Reduced Range and Increased
recycling. Patterns application Strengthened by Herringbone pattern in oak, Ash
and donauek. 1995 introduced new generation of wooden floor by Linnea, a affordable
fanergolv That Despite the thinner surface layer, both gave good quality and
were ITS simplicity for the casual home builder.
Resulted in Woodloc®
Kährs great feel for the product development and innovation resulted in
years 2000 in Woodloc ®, When it was first in the world to launch a revolutionary
new hardwood floors with unique glueless floor joint. After wood floor it is
one of the most Crucial innovations for wood flooring today. Joint fine funtion
speed allowed orientation of larger Areas, new products and
användningssområden.
59
Lamella wood flooring birth
Lamella technique, a parquet board consists of several layers, where such
a ingenious and clever design that still made the production of modern wood
flooring under the principles developed by Gustaf Kährs first patented
lamellgolvbräda. Royal Patent and Registration Office registered patent on February
7, 1941, which means that the patent term counted from that date. The patent
was intended as stated in the Letters Patent, "Processes for the
production of composite boards ", in other words, the manufacturing method
flooring. Because wood is a living material, which swells and shrinks depending
on moisture variation in the environment, ranged one grain of board layers. It
was important to reduce the movement of the boards. The advantages were that it
gave a dimensionally stable, durable and beautiful floor, who was also easier
to add. The design was thus a notched and tongued lamellbräda with frame of
softwood, and a wear layer of harder wood. If you look at the board in more
detail was made up of several layers. Wear Layer of 6-7 millimeters (initially
10 mm), a layer of pine slats two millimeters pine faner and a bottom layer of
plywood. It was originally about 30 millimeters thick but soon reduced by 3-4
millimeters. The first floor patent was followed by many more patents. In
total, Kährs has more than 20 patents over the years.
60
Million (homes) program
In the 60's took home construction in Sweden in earnest through the
so-called million program, which is the everyday term for residential building
in Sweden during the period 1965-1974. Over ten years, would be one million new
homes built. For Kährs part, volumes increased dramatically. 1970 sold
700 000 square meters and three years later passed the first time of one million
barrier when Kährs sold more than one million square meters wooden floors. Had
already Kährs customers primarily been large construction companies and several
large builders who Kährs had very good contacts with. This resulted in the
Kährs now among other things, deliver all floors to HSB throughout Malmö. When
the builders were counting on the tender, it was already in the documents:
"parquet reserved at AB Gustaf Kähr." The goal of million program was
to address the acute housing crisis seen in the late 1950's and early 60's, and
to improve Swedish housing standard, which was low in many apartments. Million
program provided a total of just over one million apartments in Sweden, with a
net contribution of 650 000 because many old houses, while was demolished.
63
Different installation methods
Initially was Multiestrato almost exclusively on battens fixed with
flagstones, but to meet the requirement for better sound isolation started early
experiments, and more economic and technically more particularly correct
orientation ways. These led to the method of adding flooring in a simple bed of
sand, which lay directly on the slab floor.
Kährs held the patent for adding floors on the sand. Laying the floor
boards on a bed of sand, without a fixed anchor at slab floor, was however many
to doubt. In the beginning it was quite impossible, but the method worked. Once
the interior plaster walls and ceilings finished, the one common concrete
gravel on the plate. While the plaster on walls and dried also went to the sand
on the floor to dry out. In the sand, the man then spikläkter. Where the strain
on the floor would be great, for example, by the stove, strengthened you with
an extra nail healed. Then it was just put out lamellbräderna. In order not to
floor would sound, it was important to ensure that there are in broad low free
from the walls. This had developed a relatively simple method which gave a
floating floor, and also got a soft and comfortable floor to walk on and a
quiet floor.
"The method was good, especially from the acoustic point of view,
but it was consuming for the installer can as directed by the floors, and
finally ended up at the front door with a large or small mountain of leftover
sand, "has floor layers Karl-Axel Bergstrom said. After the wood floor is
Woodloc ® one of Kährs most crucial developments for wood floors. The advanced
interlocking joint system allows the floor are more easily made, and above all
never broken up, despite climate change in the home. When the floor is folded
only the joints together and boards locks into place. This means that the number
of slots is minimized, both in added that the subfloor entire life. In
addition, large areas are added.
65
"Krog The show would start
at seven o'clock but the stage floor was not clear "
Karl-Axel Bergström was for many years a customer and close partner to
Kährs. First, he was a floor layer, and floor traders. First contacts were
taken in the 1950s. Then worked Karl-Axel on a Malmo Company, which specialized
in herringbone parquet. Eventually, a newly established flooring company, Ji-Kå,
the exclusive right to sell Kährs floor in Skåne. There was Karl-Axel Bergström
supervisor. Direct had the major commitments that they had all the flooring for
HSB in Malmö. Similar agreement was also with the municipal companies in
Helsingborg. Even in Kristianstad had Kährs large deliveries. "In
practice, the market was divided up in a quiet way. It was unthinkable that we
at Ji-Kå could even take in a competitor board. We were so fixated at Kährs,
which we felt had a better product, "said Karl-Axel Bergstrom, in an
interview 2,001 Crown Prince in Malmo He explained that it was a great success
when they are completely finished Multiestrato came. "It was a stark
contrast to the herringbone pattern where the pieces do not always was one
hundred percent perfect. " But the new efficient plant had one drawback:
floor takers were Now less and less time to his work. Often the finished installation
done at night prior to occupancy. A memory as Karl-Axel has told you about was
twenty seven storey building The crown prince in Malmö and the floor put the
work on the scene in the restaurant var. "Krog The show would start at
seven o'clock in the evening, but the stage floor was too slippery for the
jugglers which would occur. Therefore, we received the assignment bringing down
the shining. The artists trained in the meantime on the parts as we gradually
got finished. Just when the first guests arrived, pulled we are out of the
grinder by the stage door. "
66
The floor came and went
During his life in the industry was Karl-Axel see many different floor
come and go: "First it was the oak parquet flooring in the rods. Then came
balatum mats, tar paper with print and paint on. They sold a lot of time, but
were difficult to add and could easily crack. " "So we had linoleum
which was a little better class. But a major drawback was joints. They could
not stand the harsh detergents. The carpets were not there wax they would have.
Instead, people washed down their rugs. The joints dried and broken up. In the
school halls and the like, we tried to mend and patch, but there was no glue
that held. " "Then there was vinyl tiles its success. They were of
different sizes and varying patterns. But as with so many other things
deteriorated quality. There were cracks between the tiles and it was not better
for all aggressive cleaning, once people became urledsna on vinyl records.
" Their successors were the vinyl, for starters equipped with felt silencers.
Then came even plastic mats that could be welded at the joints. "They took
a tremendous market, especially when it came to bathroom, but even among
plastic carpets began to appear inferior quality. "
Then came heltäckningsmattorna
Soon came the stalls even more than before, but was stopped for a period
of carpets. "Comprehensive went well as long as there was quality to them.
But the market was high and no one had any scruples. The carpets could look
very nice and close out, without being there. By cheating, many manufacturers death
on themselves. " "When heltäckningshaussen peaked in the early 80th
century served flooring firms good money. The carpets were easy to add and there
were never any complaints on the actual plant. We worked nights and weekends.
We put carpet on the fine Any parquet flooring, and also in the kitchen. When
you wanted to have comprehensive in school canteens I traveled woolen, but what
good did it do? Carpets was so popular, but lost the kids a glass of milk could
not then get it up and the smell was still there. "
69
Kährs also developed sports
floors
Already in the 1950s had Kährs has patents on its first sports floor. The
trend continued. The latest sports floor is Activity Floor. Advantages of this
more springy floor is that it can also be quicker and for larger areas. The
floor is approved for the world standard the sports floor, DIN, and used in
sporting events throughout the the world today.
The idea behind the first sports
floor
Karl-Axel Bergstrom was not just a customer of Kährs. He was also an
inventor. As a very young, he worked at a company called Floor Maintenance.
Many communities built at the time, sports and wanted a resilient flooring for
sports halls. The Danes had their own method for such a floor, but Karl-Axel
would come with its own invention. The market was interesting and it closely
followed the Danish manufacturing, which in principle was to cut notches here
and there in the design and it was thus floor to spring up and down. The
problem was that design required a huge arch height and resulted in a sharp "Drum"
sound when aktivitetet on the floor. One day was Karl-Axel Bergstrom, a
co-worker and his Uncle Donald Bergstrom in Pajala. They were there to lay a
floor, but the wood who came was not accepted. Awaiting the new, they began to
discuss the These sports floor, and hatched the idea for something new. "We
made a rule that we drove through the blades in different places. And it was
spring, but now in a single stock, with lower elevation and with less risk of
"whining" in the floor. Our design never dropped together, which
however, was the result of a competitor's design where the using rubber blocks
under the joists. Gradually, sat on the blocks and suspension decreased,
"Karl-Axel Bergstrom said. His own method took Karl-Axel Bergström and his
uncle patent and sold the patent to Kährs who then let the partner SCA in Holmsund
produce they sawed studs for sports floors. Thus arose the Kährs first sports
flooring.
70
Kubb The floor was not a success
The most stubborn and least successful were probably Gustav Kähr with the
cube mentioned floors, having ändträet upwards. He made many experiments. It
was tested in Kährs own premises and was comfortable to walk on, not so dumb.
But the bowler floor was never a success. Peter Kruse told him just before
Gustav Kährs death had promised him to push this through, but Kruse waited five
or six years with experiments. Development Nils Oskar Walther was also working
with thereof. "We originally had big problems. It was too large movements
in floor. It would be glued to the ground and the floor was very strong when it
expanded, he told me. " Kubb The floor was still off and added, with
others at business premises in Stockholm but soon walked the floor in waves.
Nils Oskar Walther: "There was also a weightlifting hall in Skåne. In both
cases the glued logs with a polyurethane adhesive. The design blew the
underlying the concrete floor so that it was odd few centimeters below surface,
in the end were all bricks are loose. " Kubb floor, which certainly was
extremely durable, was after all no successfully. What remains is now a bowler
floors Kährs supply storage.
72
Floor deck
During World War II made Kährs deck floor. Instead of making solid
wood flooring, which demanded pine in long lengths and large dimensions, glued
Kährs together smaller pieces of wood to deck planks. Something as professionals
in shipping were skeptical of Top. A vessel with Kährs lamelldäck, doors and
hatches were Mattawunga who made long trips to both South and North America and
to Australia. For Gustaf Kähr made captain of the ship: "Lamelldäcken
has exceeded all expectations. They are persistent and tight. The massive
trädäcken were omdrivna three times. Despite this strained rain in the tropics
right through the deck floor. Those who were oppressed had have needed an
umbrella to protect themselves. Lamelldäcken have not had to be renovated or
omdrivas, which brought those men wonder. We have had demonstrate our
lamelldäck for interested, we traveled on. " Gustaf Kährs idea was based
on one joined 80 percent inferior wood with 20 percent prime the wood of small
dimensions and barred it from shifting. It gave a full product, widely superior
to solid wood.
75
The marketing organization
formed
1970's,
catalog development and marketing of wood floor began.
1970 forms
Kährs one's own marketing and sales organization, only now does marketing in
earnest.
1971 began
Kährs its export growth led by Ulf Kähr. First export office opened in Hörsholm
in Denmark. The Nordic countries were first developed, but also in England,
Switzerland
and Austria
were among the first export countries.
The early
1980s was the start of exports focus on the important U.S. market.
77
No advertising until the 70's
Over one
million program's happy days, the product development been overlooked, and the
market had not yet occurred outside of Sweden to any great extent. Actually it
was only at a collaboration for a year with Forshaga 1969 as Kährs really got
an insight into modern marketing. When the contract is terminated started Kährs
one's own marketing and sales organization, which meant that marketing and
education took off. The marketing was Kährs in the 70s from the parquet to the
generic name wooden floor and began to develop a more modern brand. When the
green wave came Kährs tried to spin on it, and it was sold Once little more
pine flooring. The advertisement was filmed the movie "Wood Lover" to
Earl Borssén in the title role in the theme "Back to Nature". The
generated test set, brochures and catalogs, advertisements, movies, exhibition
material and training packages to help inform retailers grown in number.
Kährs seemed now on the market
The dealers
gathered to central and mobilized in the 80s. Kährs floor appeared on the big
trade shows, in Paris, Hanover, Manchester, Copenhagen and Helsinki. The theme
was blond floors, with exhibition staff dressed in Carl Larsson style. In the
stands, it was convenient viewing of orientation and serving of cheesecake with
accessories. Kährs synthesis now market and intense years followed. In addition
to new construction was the renovation of homes and public spaces important
areas to concentrate on. Kährs began increasingly to work architects, builders
and building and development company. All I Kährs wooden cover, which included
brochures and informational material. It was a very single-minded focus on
reaching out with Kährs wood flooring range for these players.
79
More factors spoke for Kährs wood floors. Since many had allergies National
Board decided to recommend limiting the overall textile carpets in some rooms.
It was, for example in schools, gymnasiums, libraries, pharmacies, post offices
and in medicine. Kährs began supplying floor to include shops, dining rooms,
banquet halls and military caverns and the wooden floor proved to be an
excellent flooring material for gymnastics and sports halls. Other traditional
areas of wood flooring in public environment where facilities for dancing and
crafts. During the 1980s, Kährs to highlight their brand even more. In a major
campaign aimed at increasing brand awareness among consumers, included
advertising in all national newspapers, tabloids and local press. It was not
just in Sweden but also in Norway, Denmark and Finland. Another approach was to
hire and use Woody Woodpecker together Kährs logo. Kährs and wood floors, Kährs
and quality were some Free Advertisements in red and black / white.
Advertising materials of various
kinds
It was spent on store materials to dealers, by developing sample racks
so that consumers could see Kährs products. Similarly, produced mobiles,
stickers, flags and signs to the shops. Resources was spent on informing and
educating the dealers sales staff on Kährs products. The promotion also
included product brochures, product sheets, installation instructions,
maintenance instructions and other printed matter. Kährs also carried out
campaigns when new products were introduced, which was followed by news racks
of test sheets, product sheets and shop signs and advertising in trade and popular
press. This intense campaign period presented a blond product every month! Around
1983 the first issue of Kährs Idémagasin which was issued on ten languages. The
magazine became an important tool to show up Kährs Products in the environment.
In the internal communication was done on 90 -talk of the staff magazine to a
corporate magazine in English and German.
81
Ulf did Kährs on the world map
Ulf and his two years younger brother Bjorn grew up with Kährs. Their
father and his grandfather was the prominent figures of the company; Gustaf and
Olle Kähr. Ulf, who later was given the responsibility to develop Kährs export
markets, has talked about several memorable episodes: "My grandfather was
very kind to us grandchildren. He played well with us. Sometimes he could be
very stubborn. But it was no wonder, for build a business as he did have to be
stubborn. " At Summer Instead Kolboda was the famous kährska tennis court where
Ulf played with his grandfather many times. Gustafsson Kähr had set an outdoor
tennis court of wooden flooring. It was the origin of the so-called floating
floors. The floor was nailed on the joists, but the entire structure was floating
on the sand. "It worked well even though sometimes we could have some bad
bounces in joints. The course was up in all weathers all year round but it was
certainly in at least thirty years. " According to Ulf had a summer place
is also very important to create and maintain business contacts. "Where
did many great personalities such as architect Anders Diös and Herman Eriksson,
minister 1939-44, and then among another became head of the Wine and Spirit
Centre and United Nations delegate. Other guests were ministers Allan Nordenstam
and Torsten Nothin, as well Walter Danielson, Swedish general consultant in Los
Angeles, and Axel Ehnström, colorful CEO of SCA. "
Visits in Kährska villa
Ulf Kähr has also described the business talks between grandfather Gustaf
and Dad Olle, always looked the same. They walked back and forth while they
talked and had his hands behind him. "Dad was the one who saw to get
through all the commitments grandfather had withdrawn. He had the daily heavy
responsibility for profitability in production. My father was perhaps more
careful and grandfather a little more adventurous. It was partly due to the
different tasks they had, and partly because they were a little different
personalities. Gustav were the one who was out and got the first large orders
while Olle saw to meet delivery times, generate profit and drive sales forward.
"
82
Gustaf Kähr had ever different product ideas, but also Olle was visions.
He also built up Kährs machines, which made the Russian guests were common back
in Kährska villa. "It was exciting visit, because they knew so little
about our great neighbor to the east. I well remember the first Russian guests
who came to dinner. It was difficult with the language, so to speak with them,
we used to draw on pieces of paper. "Ritspråk" we called it. " Olle
Kähr toiled hard. Often it was long hours. From time spent He also eastwards
months to sell the Kährs Machinery. Eventually it became difficult to get both
the floor and door production to function well, leading to profitability
problems. "Profitability was a concern for most of the 60's. The improved when
Swedish Door was formed but it was not easy to get the factory floor profitable,
not then. But with new markets, new methods and new own development went
better. "
Too young and inexperienced
Ulf Kähr came seriously into Kährs business 1964th Before that, he Baccalaureate
in Latin line supplemented with Schartaus handelsinstituts. Then he got a job directly on marketing
department of Oxelösunds ironworks. That was when Sweden joined the booming.
When asked why it was not directly Kährs he has said: "I wanted to wait. I
thought I was too young and inexperienced. " But soon he was persuaded by
his grandfather and had to start building a central staff function reporting
directly to CEO of Kährs. Staff Function was important. Kährs activity was
extensive. AB Gustaf Kähr made doors and floors. There were Kährs Kährs Furniture
and Equipment. The latter expanded dramatically and it was not an easy job to
find good engineers and designers. Yet, exports of wood flooring Ulf Kährs
baby. In the early 70's, exports accounted for about 50 000 square meters of
floor, half going to Denmark. The first export office became Kährs Parket A / S
Horsholm north of Copenhagen. "We had long thought to be more active work
up new export markets. I had no sales experience, but to me it sounded exciting
task. "
83
In Germany and France, there were companies that produced Kährs floor on
license. When the license expired, it was time to start a more active export
business. This was one reason that Ulf was asked by his father if he wanted to
take on the task to boost exports. "To begin with, we had offices in the
building, wrote themselves all invoices, managed accounts and made sure we
got paid. " Later Ulf spent much of his time traveling in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Holland, Britain and other countries.
Exported both doors and floors
When Olle Kähr died in 1973 he was succeeded by Peter Kruse. Ulf moved home
to central and became chairman of the board but retained their export data.
Three years later he moved to Hamburg and set up a small business, Gustaf Kähr
GmbH, with a view to selling both doors and floors. "We were pretty good
with door sales in Germany. But Once it was full concentration on the floor.
" To build up the export applied, according Ulf Kähr, in the first
instance Finding the right distributors. In addition to support them by making
customer visits together, learn to understand the different markets in order to
keep the distributors action with new products, new activities and new
marketing materials. When Ulf moved to Hamburg was awarded the export business
up. Ake Peterson had to take care of Scandinavia while he concentrated on other
countries.
85
The establishment in the U.S. The start in the U.S. was slightly earlier
than Kährs had planned, but it was impossible to let a competitor to be alone
on such a large market. In the early 80th century contributed Kährs a building
material trade show in Las Vegas in a display of the Swedish Trade Council. "We
also did a pretty extensive market and concluded that we could sell our
flooring in the United States. " It was partly Ulf Kährs work to get the
U.S. market to grow. He went over three times a year and built a sales
organization with local distributors in major cities like Los Angeles, San
Francisco and New York.
Larger than home sales
Gradually grew Kährs exports sharply and became larger than home sales. The
U.S. market grew and Ulf Kähr was set to to make it even bigger. 1987 founded the
company Kährs International Inc. in San Francisco and Ulf became its president.
The family settled permanently, USA. Ulf's task was now to continue building up
the U.S. market, as well as markets in Asia and South America. When he left over
responsibility for the U.S. market to Carsten Svantesson in January 2000 low
market share in the U.S. in about thirty percent if you count on the type of
wood flooring that Kährs made. "I handed over an organization with good
profitability and favorable sales development." Ulf Kähr sat not down, and
then went on to develop new markets in Asia. Not least, it was in Japan but
also China and Taiwan, as well as in Australia and South and Central America, especially
Argentina and Chile. "It was a steady increase in sales volumes, even if
it is not was about as large volumes. But we were once in even small Germany
and the USA. We have all new markets step by step and managed to become
profitable by not having too great demands on us from Top. It is not just a
question of how much you sell. It is also to build an organization that long is
a good solution. Are we moving too fast is a lot to chance. Here I think that
management always has a good balance. "
87
His sons carried on the tradition
1938 moved
Gustaf and Ebba Kähr to Stockholm, where Gosta Kähr was given the
responsibility to lead the flooring AB.
1947, Olle
Kähr the President and CEO.
88
Gosta Kähr
As the son of one of the 1900s big business people and innovators, it
was natural to Gösta and his brother Olle would follow in his father's
footsteps. Gosta told in an interview that he always kept a low profile the
company, while the father and Olle were those mass media and seemed most
outward. Father Gustav decided to Gosta would read economics at Påhlmans trade
institutions. "My father was fodrande, we brought up to work. We had to
work every school holiday from the age of seven. " Meanwhile, Gustavus
great faith in his sons' ability to fend for themselves. "Father's motto
was, nothing in the world is impossible. There we had an early experience.
"Since Göstas mother died when he was only a week old was brought up He
and brother of the family's housekeeper, while her father was on his numerous
journeys. When they got bigger brothers would go along and when they went
themselves from Nybro to meet his father somewhere in Sweden or sometimes to
Norway. In 1932, Gosta 16 years in the firm. Jo-Jo-fly rampant in country and
the brothers went from Ystad to Haparanda to sell the popular pulleys named
Jo-Jo Luxury. Olle was driving the car. When production is increasingly headed
for furniture and doors sent Gustaf her son to New York to work at a furniture
and door factory. There he would learn the trade from the bottom and acquire
new knowledge manufacture and could be valuable for the family business. He
became a handyman at a sawmill that belonged to a furniture factory; but
drygade their finances with money he received as footballers. Later, Gosta to
become head of Lamellgolvs sales offices in Stockholm.
89
First Swedish footballer
Gösta Kähr became Sweden's first
professional soccer player. Back in 1937, to earn a living he attempted to play
in the U.S. Gösta Kähr, son of Gustaf Kähr,
1937 aboard the m/s Drottningholm to travel to America. He would visit his
uncle who lived in Syracuse. There he soon found work as unskilled laborer in a
sawmill that belonged to a furniture factory. At a party would play a football
game and Gösta had to jump into. His team won and Gösta scored two goals. At
home in Nybro he had played center and right winger in Nybros junior teams. Thus
it happened that the manager for Auburns football teams outside of Syracuse
contacted Gosta, and signed him to their team. Already in the second game was
Gosta game hero when the team won 1-0, and he himself was the target. A match
of the week gave ten dollars, which was a lot of money back then. This meant
that he made a living at football. The rent plus three meals a day cost $ 8 and
50 cents; which "football wages" covered. At the sawmill, his salary
$ 18 a week. Football The adventure was short and ended when World War II erupted
and Gösta was called home. Sports interest followed Gosta through life. In addition
to football, it was also hockey and ice hockey. He was also a devoted member of
AIK.
90
Olle Kähr
In Kährs technical development was Olle Kähr (1913-1973), eldest son of Gustaf
Kähr, a major power and prods. His philosophy was that so much as possible
would be manufactured at the factory. It resulted in the AB Gustaf Kähr among
other things, was first to market with färdigytbehandlade parquet as well as
doors with painted frames and fully furled dörrset. Gustaf Kähr handed over the
production of Nybro to his brother Mauritz Lindvall when Gustaf moved to
Stockholm 1938th Thereafter was Olle Kähr over and became managing director
1947th Since the sale was organized by the sales company engineered flooring AB
he could concentrate on production.
New machinery was celebrated with solemn inaugurations
Olle Kähr was driven to raise money for new machines, which could make production
is more comfortable and lead the development of an increasingly better factory.
Often he was seen out among the "old men" in the factory. He talked with
them on various machine problems and often ended talks with the He said:
"just wait until we can afford the new machine." As new machines then
came the company had solemn inaugurations. During the 50th century was based
Olle factory building behind the office, where door and floor manufacturing
moved. A key role in the company's technology had also Rune Ottosson. He took
over as technical director 1951st Since it had already exploited door patents
and Kährs also sold floor licenses to other manufacturers. The management's
policy was to encourage all license revenue in developing manufacturing
technology and its application in Kährs plant in Nybro. Olle Kähr therefore
made large investments in buildings and machinery. He also demonstrated great
personal commitment and innovation. Actions which strengthened its market
position. In Kährs desire to have an efficient production and at such a high
technical flat as possible engaged diligently Kährs designers and engineers in development
work. A serious commitment to streamlining and mechanization was already in the
early 1950's. New approaches were in various production problems, and did that
Kährs became a pioneer in industry to new methods and systems. Some examples of
this was högfrekvenslimning, finger joints and broadband grinding. During his
time also appeared Olle Kähr to the formation of Swedish Door AB. He was also
largely in the subsidiary Kährs Machinery Ltd was formed and was a huge
success, not only as a designer and supplier of träinriktade industries, but
also as an innovator for its own technical developments. Olle Kähr died in the
summer of 1973 and the former longtime employee Kährs Peter Kruse took over the
leadership. Olle Kährs sons Ulf and Bjorn became marketing and production
managers. The bank relied on Olle A frequent guest of Kährs, especially in the
latter half of the 60s and the early 70th century, was a bank director Hans
Cavalli-Bjorkman. During this time stood Kährs on safe ground. A phone call
from Olle Kähr to Hans Cavalli-Björkman was all that was needed to credits
would be granted. "I was never in Nybro at that time without visiting
Kährs and it happened quite often. I had a very good relationship with Olle
Kähr and we hung out also en famille, said Hans Cavalli-Björkman in an
interview 2002nd He described Olle Kähr as a very special person with an
unusually well-developed entrepreneurial talent. "I went through the plant
in Nybro lots of times and became more and more impressed with how the company
grew. I felt that the money from Bank put in place. Olle was around. He had
great technical knowledge and showed different machines. Parquet floors are
sprayed on different direction. It was an impressive experience and Olle was
one of the friends in southern Sweden business that impressed me the most. He
was a real factory, brought up in the Gustaf Kährs spirit. " His
Cavalli-Björkman saw AB Gustaf Kähr during Olle Kährs time a basically well-run
business built on skill and entrepreneurship great skills. He knows it then
went a little worse for part of 70's. "But I was very pleased that the
company in 1979 was dealt with by Ola Wilhelmsson, at that moment it was neat
and tidy again. Ola made a very good impression on me. In addition, the numbers
spoke for themselves. " His Cavalli-Bjorkman met not Ola Wilhelmsson more
than occasionally and did not have much time for Kährs and Stockholm since
1980. The year was Hans Cavalli-Björkman CEO S-E-Bank.
95
World Class Technology
The 1950s, the company invested in new buildings and machinery.
Lamelldörrar and engineered flooring became the major products.
1967, the same year that Sweden was driving on the right, was the new
sawmill in operation. This year imposed Kährs salary at the bank. The salary
paid fortnightly. Previously, the employees wages directly in the hands of each
week.
1968 the Group had approximately 700 employees and annual sales of
around SEK 44 million.
1988 started the first training courses in computers, it was an
introductory course for PCs and operating systems and computers began in
earnest on its way at the company.
1990s, investments were made approximately one billion in stock
reception, saw mills, power plants and production floors.
2000s has meant investment in two profiling lines to manufacture
Woodloc® joint. New finishing line with equipment design. Automatic inspection
and sorting of wear surfaces. Brand new 2-rod fabrication and installation of
Kährs first robot.
97
Production is world-class
One might ask how Kährs managed to achieve a world-leading technology
position in production from log to finished floor and doors? A position that
allowed the delegations from various countries succeeded each other in Nybro to
visit and see the manufacturing process. Eventually, it was not only the final
products in high quality wooden floors and doors that Kährs delivered, but also
fully complete factories. Clearly, the company's expertise "in-house"
was very important and made to Kährs was an innovator even in technological
development. Special machines for both the floor and door manufacturing has developed
and built at the company. The availability of highly sophisticated machinery
has made many brilliant ideas have been implemented and resulted in successful
products. Without the company's excellence in the art had Kährs likely failed
to realize all the great ideas in the same way as it is now became. Many had
stayed on the drawing board or just become simple sketches and nothing more.
Now was not the case. On the contrary, it resulted in many smart solutions as
well as revolutionary new production methods. Kährs technology also came across
the industry to share. Already at an early stage also began Kährs selling
technical know-how. By Gustaf Kähr selling floor licenses to other
manufacturers had to licensees, including technical assistance and equipment to
be able to start production. License income account Kährs much needed expandability
and used for new investment in Nybro, so thus expanded and modernized the plant
gradually.
98
In the early 1960s, the Kährs the largest timber yard south of Dalälven.
In order to cope necessary to increase capacity for floors and doors to homes
in the so-called million program invested Kährs also in new sawmill. It was
Europe's largest and most modern hardwood sawmill when it was introduced in
1967.
99
Large investments during
expansionary years
Million program in the 60's required large capacity increases. Timber
yard at Kährs had at the beginning of the 1960s impressive dimensions and was
the largest timber yard south of Dalälven. The surface measured approximately
160 000 square meters, equivalent to about 30 football fields in size. Wood
volume was about 1.1 million cubic feet. The drying facility consisted mainly
of so-called continuous dryers or kilns, where timber packs rolled through
zones with different humidity and temperature. The wipers went around the clock
seven days a week. 60’s also marked a significant expansion at Kährs facility
in Nybro. Investments and expansions of facilities required to meet a growing
demand from both domestic market and to go out in the export market, mainly for
the doors when the Swedish Door Ltd was formed 1961 Gradually developed floor
production. It was automatic construction machinery, as well as automated work
increasingly in polishing or planing department. Even slitytetillverkningen
went through several phases. 1967 was a new coating line, which was later
upgraded when UV varnishing began operating in the 80's. Both floor-to-door
factory had increased capacity. For floors planned Kährs to move parts of their
production to a factory in Mariannelund but above all it was karmtillverkning
to doors that got there. The plant became operational in 1966 and formed the
company Kährs Marimill AB. One very significant investment in Nybro was the
state of the art sawmill that became operational in 1967th Impressive cutting
capacity tripled, and at the start it was the largest and most modern hardwood
sawmill. Some examples on advanced technologies were X-ray hours and electronic
control for cutting process. New dryers were in use years before the new saw.
Although this meant a huge increase in capacity and made the AB Gustaf Kähr,
together with previous dry now had the largest Wood facility. Upgrades of
technology and investment is an ongoing process at AB Gustaf Kähr, not least in
order to secure and guarantee floor of a very high quality.
100
Development of Gustav
Most of his time at Kährs was Arvid Magnusson Development. He was
involved in developing the doors and various manufacturing processes, as well
as floors and different installation methods. He started 1939 in furniture
shop, where he was standing at a bench that they second carpenter and made
furniture and shop fittings. Then the Kährs stopped making heavy furniture. It
was mostly furniture and baby gates. Arvid eventually became development
manager, or responsible for sample workshop as it was then called. But in the
beginning, there were no facilities or equipment to carry out proper tests.
Arvid Magnusson has described how a quality check on Kährs could be in the
early 40's. "One day there was a group of people gathered on the bridge,
dragging heavy glulam boards. These they then heaved over the railing and let
them fall in the hard cement coating six meters below. " This was done to
test the strength boards. "We lived in avspärrningstid and availability of
import products began drying up. The yards were short of both American pine and
teak wood for shipbuilding, and manufacturer Kähr had ideas of glulam hatches
of kvistren pine. Hatch covers are treated not always so gentle, so with
appropriate tests from the footbridge, they wanted to simulate the cases.
During the test was controllers from one turn to and you got the design
approved. " In the 40's was not much of what later came in the form of
Swedish standard. Thus, safety was not formulated and established requirements
to follow. Instead, the samples were focused on comparisons between two or more
known structures, and based on that reading out the guidelines for their product
quality. Door Manufacturing was the one who first got the standardization, resulting
in a relatively fixed lineage. In order to make safer tests established the
first simple laboratory 1952 It contained, among other things, make the climate
room samples. Right up to 1969, when a new and far more equipped laboratory was
implemented, The first sample was used lab.
It was not just wooden structures to be tested. Paint and glue was least
as important. "At that time the color industry's products are not designed
to manage factory production, much of the progress we made in cooperationwith
paint companies. For example, the colors were presented which were suitable for
roller coating and subsequently sprayed. " The bonding process was
developed a new method that Kährs began use in flooring manufacture in the late
40's. It was högfrekvenslimning based on heating by high-frequency voltages. "The
old 'honest' way was to compress it to be glued through ninety degrees hot plates
for accelerating the curing of the adhesive. But it still took several minutes
and required a lot of energy, because the material is heated. When, instead, we
could speed up adhesive molecules using a high frequency electric current
needed only to themselves adhesive layer is heated. It went on for 15-20
seconds. "
Sample Floor on sand
Arvid Magnusson was also there when Gustaf Kähr got the idea to add flooring
in the sand: "I tested and found that it did not go with the sand time. It
must be bone dry and it would be a particularly sharp, angular sand that packs
well. The round-grained sea sand could not be pack. " It also required
tests to verify that the sand was buoyancy enough and not slipped away for
heavier loads. To do this, put it on a test floor sand, loaded a cart very
heavy and ran it in certain courses across the floor. Two men drove in shifts
and there were many turns and gaining knowledge of it, Arvid Magnusson said. If
Kährs modern development said Arvid Magnusson in an interview in 2001: "There
have been things that I at all did not believe. It most recent is click the
floor that you just add up. We touched on it, but could not really find on that
joint. It is not enough designing the joint, but it must also be made of strong
particleboard quality. I admire those who have come of it."
105
Close to the final chapter
1970's, the Swedish housing decreased. Multiestrato got strong competition
by heltäckningsmattorna. This, together with a deep recession meant crisis for
Kährs with instability as a result.
1978 was cut business down to cover only the manufacturing floor.
1979 can be regarded as Kährs "fresh start", the company began
to implement a powerful product and quality development and export growth was
intensified.
1982, after 125 years and five generations of the family Kährs owned,
sold Kährs to RATOS-owned Iron Bridge AB. The number of employees approximately
490 people and turnover about 136 million.
1990s was characterized by powerful equipment investment in parquet
factory, sawmill, and in a new CHP plant and in the external and internal
environmental improvements at Nybroviken factory.
107
The beginning of the end for
Kährs was so close ...
1978 was extremely close to being late and the last chapter in the
family business Kährs history. Everything was prepared and planned for a sale
and settlement, but Instead, this became the turning point to something completely
new. It was not just save for the activities of Nybro, but also an important
starting point that would lead to Kährs rebirth and strong expansion of world over.
Behind the deep crisis that Kährs were in the low economic downturn, oil
crisis, sharply rising commodity prices, high wage increases, price freeze,
unhealthy competition and so heltäckningsmattorna. It was also a turbulent situation
in Kährs. Kährs machines got no new orders from Russia. Kährs furniture
profitability declined. For inside the plant, the situation became increasingly
difficult. In addition, experienced all the lamellgolvtillverkarna in the
Nordic countries the same problem and began to debate the industry's survival. Family
branches, represented by Gösta and Ulf Kähr, had made up with the bank. It
would basically cut, sold, and disappear. The task of liquidating the company went
to Eric Nordengren, as 1978 came in as the new consultant CEO or 'crisis-managing
"you might say. Basically speaking all to rival Tarkett would buy Kährs floor
operations to door business would be sold to the Swedish Door, to Kährs Kährs
machinery and furniture would be closed. An agreement in principle was
subscribed, the papers ready and settlement process far advanced when
everything suddenly turned. On February 4, after a few weeks of analysis, did
Yngve Nordengren its first report, which contained two main conclusions. One
was: "If the group is not added to the financial contributions of any kind
the end of February will be a suspension of payments in May and June be inevitable.
"His second conclusion was to focus" on the then technical deprived
floor production. "
108
Required many tough decisions If their mission told Yngve Nordengren
much later: "As a consultant, I have never disclosed anything about a client.
Now I'm doing it for Kährs jubilee on behalf of a responsible person of Kährs
that gave me a free hand to tell what really happened. Otherwise it is so that
you as a consultant takes on a mission, implements and hand over it when done.
There it ends. Here it was not me that saved Kährs but Kährs did it by hire me.
The success belongs to the client and if any person be singled out, it's Chairman
in Jan Selander, who died two years afterwards. I do not want to sit and compare
me with Ola Wilhelmsson and others over the years performed his works at Kährs
in an outstanding way and done a lot more effort than I am. "Swift had
Yngve Nordengren versed in the company's precarious situation. In his first
memo, he told why he was there and what could expected, and wrote that he
mainly wanted to ensure that liquidity strengthened so that the cost of wages and
investment could be paid in an orderly manner. It was perceived as something
very, wages were threatened and it was said openly. For many years there was a
tendency in the company to try to hide things looked bad. Repeatedly tore
unknown perpetrators down Yngve PM from the bulletin board. All realized
gravity Since it was urgent to find a solution, he could not work with kid
gloves. "No, when I took over as CEO before I acquired one in all respects
extremely harsh attitude. What I said was not in principle under discussion.
"All were invited to take some time to think about what they could help with.
"My message was order, track, good time content, treating colleagues as
peers in a good group. Then there were opportunities for us to able to pay the
wages. " After six weeks he began to feel positive trends. "They took
and I knew I did not stand for a few excesses, all realized that the company
was in trouble. I think it was estimated that my proposal to save the company
came so quickly. "
109
parts of the company have to be realized, no doubt. The floor portion were
on sale a few times, and partly to Tarkett, and to Forshaga. Fors Haga's
representative, former FIFA President Lennart Johansson, was even visited
Nybro. When Yngve Nordengren summarized Kährs position at the beginning of 1978
he described the operation as follows: "Kährs furniture sold on credit.
Kährs each bank. It was found now, Unfortunately it was not specific payment
worth clients who traded their furniture on credit. This tempted hard on the
group's finances "."Kährs machines had with the Soviet Union managed
projects 1960-76 and traded 525 million. A private company that was the partner
to the Soviet Union, no wonder it went to hell, "he Yngve Nordengren."Door
Production would have to surpass himself in order to survive. Putting money on
the doors in a minority position in relation to Match Company was completely
useless. Turn off the tap for a door factory. It was the first thing that
should be done. " "Just floor production could possibly be saved. But
it took investments to make better flooring and to grow. " The turnaround
for Kährs In April, the shops began to go better, thanks to the devaluation of
the Swedish Crown. An improvement in earnings for Kährs on a couple of million
made Yngve Nordengren could go to the SE-Bank and loan of five million to
invest in the floors. It was important to Kährs would arguethemselves and be
better than the worst competitor Tarkett. Before the crisis year was over, was
inside the plant, Kährs Furniture and Kährs machines have disappeared from its
possession. Remaining in the fall of 1978 was only flooring factory and
sawmill, with a total of 450 employees. Nordengren had recommended a bet on a
factory floor with higher technical standard, which quickly proved to be a real
effort. He managed to save the mill operations and jobs in Nybro. But it was
not only his own gain. He has carefully emphasized also several others actions,
which became part of the team. These were Ola Wilhelmsson (economics), Åke
Petersson (market), Nils Oskar Walther (development) and Sven Christiansson
(production). All were experienced men in Kährs within their areas of
responsibility.
110-11
It may very well to claim Kährs modern history began
in 1978-1979
A collection of enterprising
forces decided to Kährs would live Furthermore. They accepted the challenge and
made sure that Kährs withdrew a leading market position as one of Europe's
leading flooring manufacturers. In this way there was a dramatic turnaround
from crisis to success. After Olle Kährs sudden death in 1973, the Bank had
begun to pull the ears for himself, because Kährs had made losses for several
years and the situation on company became turbulent. It did not help much that
the bank appointed a konsultvd, Ingemar Pousette.
Only flooring side remained
One who was and can tell you
about how you were thrown between hope and despair is Åke Petersson, who worked
at Kährs for 43 years (1960 -2003) before he retired 2003rd He has described
how it was when Yngve Nordengren began the process of dismantling the company,
and where Once only floor side remained - and it would be sold to Tarkett. "Production
would remain in the Nybro but the whole office, but one sales offices in Sweden,
would be shut down. Abroad would Kährs-floor sold under the Tarkett's name. In
Sweden, Tarkett use the trademark Kährs for the floors from Nybro "says
Ake who in 1978 became sales manager for Kährs in Sweden. His main job was to
explain to customers that Kährs-floors would not go away. The memorandum
between Tarkett and family Kähr was that we talked about already signed and
ready. The settlement process lasted when one day Tarkett CEO phoned Eric
Nordengren. By coincidence happened to Ake simultaneously be at his place.
Tarkett had repented himself and announced that they no longer want to buy. "Opinion
is divided on the reason for their reversal. A explanation was that Tarkett's
board did not want to be exposed to price and cartel Board review. A takeover
of Kährs floor would almost lead a monopoly. Another explanation was that they
would rather wait Kährs bankrupt and get into an angel, "said Ake. An
emergency was. Yngve Nordengren drew up plans for continued flooring. Despite
rumors of the sale had been the loyal dealers not abandoned Kährs. Demand for
wood flooring was also on the rise and heltäckningsmattorna had its glory days
behind them. In addition, exports a much needed boost by the devaluation of the
Swedish krona in April 1978. "This meant that in June the same year, when
the floor manufacturing actually would have been sold, was our order books
full. We even got to say no to order, says Ake. "
Very restricted capital
The Kährs survived the deep
slump in the 70s is also explained by that the company had very restricted
capital in raw material and lumberyard stock. The sales company engineered
flooring AB bought Gosta Kähr. He opened the shop floor Kährs Environment Shop
on Sveavägen in Stockholm who sold Kährs floor. Åke Petersson later became
marketing director and sales manager for the Nordic countries. He would also
coordinate marketing in Europe with Ulf Kähr in Hamburg. It was important
position to give the company a clear profile outwards and to strengthen the
brand. Ake took over responsibility for all of Europe when Ulf moved to the
U.S. 1997 Later, Ake emphasize environmental issues for management. It bore
fruit so in 1993 he started Kährs environmental and became the Group's
environmental and Head of Communications. "In the 90s we certified all of
our production in both environment (ISO 14001) and quality (ISO 9001)."
113
"It was a total glow"
When Ola Wilhelmsson became
president in 1979, it was a slightly wounded businesses, and a company stripped
of everything but the flooring, which he had to start leading. The company was
not lack of passion and ideas that would pave the way for new and greater
success than ever before! The volume was just over one million square meters of
floor and turnover 100 million. The company had 450 employees. It focused on
new products, which was the start of the development of "Blonde
floor" with birch, maple, acacia, ash and beech. The most remarkable
feature was when Kährs featured a 2-strip of birch. The establishment of new
markets and the blond floors became popular. Production increased for several
years by ten percent per year. Market interest in the wooden floor had
increased after heltäcksepoken. Prerequisites for continued success was
therefore, now it was "only" the ways in which weaknesses of the
company.
A Development Council added
that all unit managers were able to discuss product development, machine
technology development, staff development and development of the
administration. It was a complete change planes at all responsibilities and a
large number of processes were initiated to improve quality, commodity exchange
and the product outlet. This resulted in many changes in small quick steps
leading to improved quality. The development had been neglected The development
department was responsible for all kinds of processes such as drying, storage
of dried wood, gluing and finishing. All parameters, such flows, time, climate
and more must be suited to conditions for each process. It was Nils Oskar
Walther now grabbing the quality work which had been neglected. The explanation
for a lower floor quality was, according to the Quality Manager: "In a
period where appearance is important when new hardwood floors introduced and it
was also urgent to develop new products. This led to demands for function and
durability tests were abolished. "
115
There had also been questionable
drying methods had no scientific support. With meticulous precision, knowledge,
and Systematics worked his Nils Oskar Walther and his colleagues through the
troubles and found the solution the drying problems. Operations resulted in
rapid Kährs regained its position as Europe's leading manufacturers. In
marketing coined the term Kährs Quality. Since then Kährs been successful
Drying on.
Did Europe's largest flooring customer
Gradually increased exports.
There were several very timely devaluation and it was good to have Swedish raw
materials and products to foreign buyers. Ola Wilhelmsson has emphasized that
Ulf Kähr did an outstanding pioneering contribution to exports. It was also a source
of strength that he was a representative of the family. "Fairly quickly,
we felt ready to scratch. Then we felt a need to expand ourselves and go
forward, but also felt some concern
that we did not have full capacity everywhere.
The Swedish Door 1982 abandoned the service in our rooms was not funny. Actually
it was the only time during my years as president, I felt we shook a little. It
had only been three years since the restart and we was not yet fully stable in
the economy. " A few months earlier, however, export manager Ulf Kähr and
Ola Wilhelmsson made contact with the Dutch Bruynzeel, which was a big flooring
sales and installation company. Head there, van der Veen, was very interested.
"We had not sold them
before, but everyone else had done it," explains Ola Wilhelmsson. At that
time, Bruynzeel Europe's largest flooring buyers. Negotiations were begun and
there was an agreement with Bruynzeel. Almost simultaneously came the news that
door manufacturing in Nybro would be shut down and the factory floor had begun lay
off. "I will never forget the Friday night when the first order came on
the fax. It was like a long Christmas wish list. " Ola called into the
head of the factory floor Sven Christiansson and told that it was time to repeal
the lay-offs and start producing right away. Sven was so moved that tears fell.
Kährs had been the largest customer Bruynzeel and ended up buying from other
suppliers, which had a direct against competitors.
116
Lamellparkettens top decade
Efforts to increase the
yield of the expensive wood material continued with success and step from one
million square meters floor to over 1, 7 million square meters, completely
according to the first Five Year Plan, was reality. Gradually increase the number
of employees. More or less all markets went forward. In Sweden, wood floor well
spread and were responsible for almost one hundred percent of all hardwood
floors. According Ola Wilhelmsson was the 1980's lamellparkettens top decade of
all time, with a straightforward development up in many of the major countries
in Europe. True, many manufacturers have followed suit Kährs and used the same
product idea, but Ola emphasized that it is always original, which is the most
attractive. Profitability was good and Kährs was self-sufficient for all
investments. Besides the factory was also investment in external building
maintenance and surroundings. Much had long been neglected and was run down. The
management wanted to those who worked on Kährs would be proud of their workplace
and feel of the positive trend. In addition, was the set position to give
visitors a positive image of the company. While staff development became a
priority. Efforts began in training that aimed to make the work content more
interesting, to create work and thus achieve good productivity, and To ensure
high quality. They coined the "I am responsible for the quality," which
appeared on the backs of the red clothing. Efforts were made also in the
internal environment through improvements in lighting, air, noise and lunchrooms.
Premises was revamped and the machines were Kährs colors. Ola Wilhelmsson has
emphasized the importance of a good partnership with the union and employees: "It
was during the years the strength to always involve the union. When took major
change decisions were properly secured. The employees feel involved is
something that gives a formidable force. It is market that provides the
conditions for industrial development, but staff is also extremely important.
The staff works with production, the earthy, it can be taken on in an industry.
"
119
agreement with Kistfabrik
In discussions after the
Swedish door's exit came Rydéns Kistfabrik into image. Kährs had made karmämnen
to Swedish Door. These were exactly the same length as the kistämnen needed.
Kährs was also machinery which was suitable to produce kistdetaljer. A smaller
contract met with kistfabriken.
Meanwhile, developed and
expanded Kährs all times, allowed the production floor for himself into the old
door factory premises and many former door staff got a job at Kährs. "It
was successful. We did not invest in facilities and were knowledgeable and
Kährs Loyal staff. Hardwood floors movement developed under the plan and we
continued with our five-year plans. In the 90s we also had a plan called Vision
2000. "
Since the late 1980s, the
Kährs represented in all Western European countries and had established itself
on the vast U.S. market. Production was busy and there were raw materials,
machinery and spare capacity, but staff were missing. Kährs planned for weekend
and night shifts to take advantage of the fleet up to seven days a week and almost
24 hours a day. Kährs increased its workforce by about 500 people to a total of
1300 and soon made more than three million square meters of floor. While it
passed one billion in sales.
District heating to central Energy
Agreement Kährs had Nybro Housing Ltd evolved into a agreement with the
municipality and meant a lot. The waste generated money in Instead of cost. For
a while it had discussed sending hot water comes out Linnea in the lake and
maybe have badbart almost year round, but it was more economically and
environmentally advantageous to heat homes through district heating.
2001, the Kährs a new
agreement with Nybro Energy Ltd for further supplies of district heating to
central main town. The agreement focuses primarily on to 2015. Kährs also
included a long term contract with Graninge Kalmar The energy for the heating
of portions of Kalmar.
120
New production units
1980 and the 1990s had also
led to numerous acquisitions and ownership changes to Kährs. 1982, after 125
years and five generations of the family Kährs possession, had Kährs sold to
Ratos-owned Iron Bridge AB. In Kährs development was followed by a steady
growth of their own power and structural growth through acquisitions of other
companies in the flooring industry. The company purchased production facilities
in Ljusdal (1983) and in Bodelshausen in Germany (1989). In addition to
hardwood floors manufactured staircase and glulam in Ljusdal and window
shutters in Germany. 1985, Kährs new owner by Skane-Gripen AB. A sales office
was established or acquired in France (1985), Norway (1986), USA (1987) and
Holland, and Austria (1988). 1988 sold Kährs stair production Ljusdals Timber
Products Ltd, but kept the manufacturing floor under the name Kährs Timber AB.
Today Kährs Ljusdal legally integrated with AB Gustaf Kähr and this made the
company's 1-strip floor.
New markets
In the 90's showed Kährs in
its ten-year plan that the entire parquet market would continue to grow
strongly in Europe and the wood floor would continue to capture a large share
of the market stalls. In addition, you could see tendency for an increase in
market stalls in the U.S., and there was inquiries also from new markets. Additional
sales companies acquired or formed in Australia, Finland, Britain and Spain.
Sales office opened in New
York City, Tainan in Taiwan and in Neunkirchen Germany. The strategy was to
increase production to five million square feet floor. The goal was reached in
the mid 90's, new goals were added to the turn of the century and the strategy
also included an investment plan of approximately one billion crowns. 1993 was
formed Floor Gripen as a new cohesive company. three years later sold the
Skane-Gripen Kährs to Skanska AB, where Kährs came to included in Skanska
Europe AB.
1996 acquired a fanerfabrik in Blomstermåla for manufacturing fanergolv,
Kährs Blomstermåla AB became a subsidiary of AB Gustaf Kähr in Nybro. Further
acquisitions were Wernerträ with plants in South We and Stockaryd and Kährs
Brumunddal in Norway. New markets had to come through Russia and Eastern Europe
and China and other parts of Asia.
Nybron Flooring International
Skanska Europe was formed in 1999 Nybron AB to coordinate, focus and
step up efforts against the expanding international parquet and wood flooring
market. The following year, Skanska sold the company to equity firm Nordic
Capital in Sweden and the Swiss industrial group HIAG and changed its name to
Nybron Flooring International. Kährs was owned by Nybron Flooring
International. The NFI Group also included the Swiss and French wood flooring
manufacturers Bauwerk and Marty. Since the year 2005/2006 takes Vestar Capital
Partners, Nybron Flooring International.
His place was in Nybro
Ola Wilhelmsson was CEO of both the original and Nybron the subsequent
Nybron Flooring International. He chose to resign Age 60 in 2002 when the
company was based in Switzerland. Ola felt that his place was in Nybro. He
summed up 20 years at Kährs as president, three Nybron and nine Kährs CFO. During
all those years released he was never the mission, even if it was a Saturday,
Sunday or holiday. There is no freedom from responsibility, he could not know
in thirty years: "In addition to ten days when I was in hospital for clots
in the leg"! In Kährs leadership, it became in the 2000s several changes
with five different managers in as many years and Kährs divested Wernerträ, as
well power plant in Nybro and heating plant in Brumunddal. Furthermore, concentrated
Kährs its distribution center to Kalmar. Production of fanergolv was shut down in
Blomstermåla where Kährs now only operates sawmills. Today is purchased
fanergolven as semi-finished products are completed Nybro where the surface
treated and profiled with Woodloc ® joint.
125
Kährs doors was long a staple
1935 was Gustaf Kähr patent on a lamellplatta of wood, which laid the
foundation for production of hinges/handles and surfaced lamelldörrar from the
factory.
1961 was formed Swedish Door Ltd, the joint sales company for door
manufacturers Kährs, Ji-Te AB in Åstorp, AB STAR Products in Lidköping AB
WST-house Forserum.
1978 ended Kährs door era when all production was purchased by The Match
Company which took over all door machines and 200 employees in Nybro.
1982 produced the last door in Nybro.
127
Doors were a staple for many years Kährs doors were long one of its main
products. The factory manufactured painted, veneered and painted doors with
frames. Door Production started in the late 30's and began to expand during the
40's and especially during the 50 - and 60's. The volume was after a few decades
up to 150 000 doors per year. As early as 1945, Kährs asked them if they were
interested in the export of doors to South Africa. Soon, it resulted in a
request for 2000 doors. The buyers were so pleased that the number gradually
increased to 48 000 doors. It March 1, 1945 was foreman Bogren factory warrant
under his hand and the first three delsändningarna, 12 000 doors. To achieve
this, and production for the domestic market forced Kährs enter an additional
shift of the door pressing. The fact that Swedish companies move operations
overseas is now common, of the other hand, there outsourcing even 60 years ago.
In England, began a factory to manufacture under license Kährs doors back in
the 1940s. The British were forced to cease its door fabrication for the Instead,
make barracks during the war.
Swedish Door Ltd was formed In Nybro developed gradually door production
and Kährs built advanced manufacturing lines. And he made doors of high
quality, which made Kährs doors took an increasingly large market share. Annual
production was at most 350 000 leaf and almost as many frames. Manager and
sales manager at Kährs was Peter Kruse. In Sweden competed four leading door
manufacturers with each other. Besides Kährs was Ji-Te AB in Åstorp, AB STAR
Products in Lidköping and AB WST-house Forserum. There were also 10-15 smaller factories
and a host of village carpenter. The leading suppliers were almost all large
construction sites. Even more effective they were fired role in the 1961 created
the joint sales company; Swedish Door AB, "architect" of the model
was Peter Kruse. A partnership that was one of the first major industrial
mergers in Sweden.
128
Four well-known brands
Swedish Door could now offer four well-known brands through Kährs The
door, JiTe door, Star door and Werno door. Even in the export market represented
Swedish Door member companies and offered now a fully complete range of doors
from reputable companies with substantial resources and years of experience. All
had the same standard range plus their specialties. They did exterior doors,
tamburdörrar and doors for public spaces. Therefore conducted Swedish Door a
structural rationalization. This meant that each plant would concentrate their
production on some major types of door range. It created opportunities to make
long runs and with a low price to the consumer as a result. Jointly conducted
manufacturers product development and it was also a technical cooperation. Olle
Kährs task was to streamline the door and karmtillverkningen. In a newspaper
article in the survey in June 1961 he declared: "By coming together, it
becomes uneconomical to cost on a proper export organization. It gives more
clout than if we were and processes the export market. We want to sell good
products so cheaply as possible. The prerequisite for this is to make as many rationalization
and economy measures as possible, to counteract the increased costs that we
daily face. " For Olle Kähr it was important to look away from the
prestige and to realistically do what the situation demanded.
Kährs made fanerdörrar
For employees in Nybro was of course these changes are consequences.The
message to employees from Olle Kähr were: "If you are interested in
working in Swedish Door register to Me after lunch "! Peter Kruse was
appointed Managing Director of the Swedish Door Ltd 1966, but stayed on as Director
of AB Gustaf Kähr. Manufacturers continued to be autonomous company with its
own production. Soon, however Kährs underdog against the Match Company which in
1965 had taken over Ji-Te in Åstorp and later WST in Forserum. Many have´considered
that the ownership structure disadvantaged Nybro. The thing is also a quota of
orders that were made to the factories. Ji-Te would supply 31 percent of
door-value, the remaining 23 percent were. 1966 it was changed to all would
have just as much. Furthermore, WST respond to sound-proof doors, mainly
tamburdörrar to apartment buildings, Ji-Te would produce painted exterior doors
and Kährs fanerdörrar of various kinds, particularly gabonfanerade.
Painted doors took over
Market demand was that they painted the doors took over all more, so
more and more orders went to Åstorp. Forserum kept their volumes, but for Kährs
did it all worse. Gabon was an expired material, instead went over to a new
light plywood, koto, which struck me for some time. The next step was stained
koto. Gradually, the range could be halved. Fanersidan grew to some extent, but
the winning ticket pulled anyway Ji-Te in Åstorp with their painted doors. In
discussions about whether Kährs door business at a disadvantage in cooperation
has also discussed the quality. Some have said that Kährs had the best quality
of doors. Something that clearly varied, filling in the doors. Kährs had a
patented method with canted fiber board but went over to a honeycomb paper
filling Ji-Te in Åstorp used. Forserum factory celebrated its doors with hard packed
straw. STAR in Lidköping used empty matchboxes
130
He helped boost the doors and cases 1982 produced the last door in
Nybro. For one that nearly all his working life appeared on Kährs door side and
its subsequent fate, even after the closure, Sven-Erik Guldstrand. He joined
Kährs 1958 that door salesman. Then it was almost entirely telephone sales.
Sven-Erik and colleague Reinhold
Nirbranth sat and called and counted on his bid for the doors to different
construction sites. 1959 was the target price for the least expensive wood door
27 dollars and for the corresponding gabon door 43:75. Sales manager was
managing director Peter Kruse. "His rhythmic once made him easy to
identify when he came in corridor. He was pretty nice when you met him. Employees
had to say to him after two years. It was confirmed by a formal handshake
", Sven-Erik said. Just a few years after Sven-Erik Guldstrand joined
Kährs formed Swedish Door AB, and he had to move to the head office in
Jönköping. There he new employees from all four door manufacturers. On Swedish
Door advanced Sven-Erik Gold Beach to the sales manager and 1978 became
Director of Marketing. For Kährs ended the era of the door that the production
was purchased by Match Company / Swedoor 1978, to close down four years later.
131
Traveled around the world to buy
veneer
Helge Pipe was attached to the door manufacturing for all of their close
thirty years Kährs. He was also one of Kährs most widely traveled people in
that he traveled around the world and bought plywood over the doors. As a
buyer, he been in most European countries, including USA, Canada and Africa. It
was necessary for door manufacturing to Kährs sent out a buyers to review
fanerpartier worldwide. Veneers were not only To order the staple. The risk was
too great that in this case did not go to use. Getting a quality guarantee on
obesett veneer was not possible. Especially for doors needed large areas
perfect veneer. Helge knew exactly what he wanted for quality when he assessed
the veneer: "Dörrfaner should be kvistren and plan. Is it dented it can
not be join. Other buyers, such as the furniture company, could be partially less
demanding than me. Often they would use small pieces in a different manner. We,
however, was completely bound to door lengths. " A very common destination
for Helge was Paris. There were big veneers. He also visited fanerfabrikerna in
the French countryside. For nearly twenty years he had between one hundred and
two hundred days of travel per year. Travel increased as the door to
manufacture growth. During the last years were involved about 1 100 doors a
day. Each door would have about four square meters of veneer and ideally no
waste and no complaints. Management was pleased with Helge Rörströms quality
audits. He remembers one time when Olle Kähr and Peter Kruse had visited a fanerleverantör
in Oskarshamn. The line which had complained Helge for that he was too hard on
quality and prices. "But Olle and Peter was grateful. When they returned
they said Olle I really was the right man for the purchase work. " On his
rough English did Helge Pipe also all negotiations abroad.
"There was never any problem with it. If you are a customer so ... "
133
Kährs machines built factories in
many countries
1961 formed Kährs Machinery. A new business, which meant that Kährs
designed, sold and delivered turnkey plants, mainly former Eastern Bloc.
1978 sold Kährs equipment to Rune Ottosson of a crown, which resulted in
a cooperation agreement with Finnish Rauma-Repola Oy.
1992 as long as the company continued its activity in Kährs premises.
134 - 135
The first Russians to visit
1958 was a great and decisive moment in Kährs history. When the
foundation was laid for the future Kährs Machinery. Above Resort in Nybro,
three limousines. At one of them stood a powerful man named Kutcherenko. It was
time to go. Kutcherenko put a foot in the car and left the others out. As he
put the question to Kährs technical director Rune Ottosson: Would you sell these
kinds of factories to us? Kutcherenko was the head of Gosplan, the mighty
expert commission for the planning of the Soviet economic development. It all began with a call from
"Scanians" current Skanska. They had a Russian minister on a visit to
Malmö. He wanted to see Kährs plant in Nybro and would come a bit late in the
evening. Rune Ottosson would receive at a hotel. Olle Kähr were prepared at
home in the villa. Then came the Orlov, the head of the woodworking department,
in the Embassy limousine. It was a lot. "I did not know much about the
Russians, except that it might be right with vodka and stuff. Orlov arrival was
so long that I had to arrange for a "battery" was behind a curtain in
the dining room before the liquor fundwas closed. " "When Orlov came,
we started to clear the things that stood behind curtain. Forward one o'clock,
I called Olle. Then we had eaten and drinking, what should we do now? It was a
lot. " The men went to Olle Kähr and sat there until three o'clock. Next day,
Orlov see the factory. Was it good or bad? Orlov said neither. Subsequently,
the a Russian delegation. It contained, among many others Gosplan chief
Kutcherenko. They made a thorough visit to the factory. It was after that the
redemptive words came: Would you sell this kind of factories to us? "Yes,
we could well do. We had experience and had previously supplying factories to
Norwegians and Finns, "Rune has Ottosson said. But Rune, unaccustomed to
big deals were made up in the street, explained if so, it was a lot that Kährs
needed to know. Could you go into and discuss the matter? No, it did not work. Do
you or do you not? said Orlov. Sure, we want, if you will give us the
conditions, said Rune. Of course we do, said Orlov, put the other leg in the
car and slammed the door. Rune Ottosson never thought that the Russians would
come back for more. But soon heard the Soviet embassy in touch and it all
developed to something very big.
136
KAHRS equipment attracted
attention
Kährs recognition and expertise in the manufacture of flooring and doors
led to a very exciting trade with Russia. The Russians wanted the same
machinery and equipment that were in Nybro for being able to produce flooring
and doors. On the road began Kährs develop, design and deliver turnkey wood
industries. It won great trust and received through the years build up a large
number of plants in both the former Soviet Union that in several other
countries. This caused the company Kährs Machines formed in 1961. Success in
Eastern Europe was widely reported, and made Olle Kähr joined the Finance
Minister Gunnar Sträng industry group, yielding many valuable business
contacts. The origins of the business with the then Soviet Union was that a
Russian government delegation visited Sweden 1958th The aim was to study
Swedish building, which included visits to manufacturers of building materials
for to share their expertise. One of the companies were Kährs production that
made the visitors impressed, and led to an inquiry about Kährs had the
opportunity to offer a complete door factory, and a flooring factory. Tenders
were received and in Moscow signed in 1959 the first contract in two factories.
The plants end mounted in autumn 1961 and the products then made was to our
full satisfaction, creating confidence in the Småland skills. This had also
laid the foundation for more business. engineered plants Kährs machines
designed houses, each on top of what you really wanted in Nybro but not always
themselves could afford. Only the most modern machines went east. The money
that flowed back then used to invest to Nybro. The strength of Kährs machinery
was to integrate the machine and manufacturing, which resulted in the
production. The company's engineers and designers backed off even for
challenges and product areas that were outside Kährs own core production. A example
of this was when Kährs Machines built the world's largest window factory, will
be with a brand new windows, construction of the then East Germany.
Furthermore, they built in the Soviet world's most advanced prefabricated house
factory and furniture factories in collaboration with Ikea. With the years came
Kährs machines to deliver not less than thirty manufacturing facilities to
Eastern bloc and further twenty-two factories to Elsewhere in the world. The
company also sent many people on the regular service assignments and also sold
adding machines and spare parts. At its peak, had Kährs Machinery eighty
employees. In 1978, Rune Ottosson buy Kährs machines for a penny, but it sought
once a strong owner with resources. This led to a cooperation agreement with
Finnish Rauma-Repola Oy, and it was a total acquisition of Kährs Machines
1981st The company continued in Kährs premises until 1992.
138
Mystery high level Russo
Behind Kährs successful machinery business was primarily Olle Kähr and
Rune Ottosson. In tough competition, they managed to take home business after
business. But it required extensive documentation and tender work and
especially long and tough negotiations. Sometimes negotiation stake several
years to complete. Olle Kährs stories about negotiations with the Russians was
exciting to hear. Birger Lofgren struck by several. He told how the Russians seemed
to tire out the Swedes. "There was incessant rain in the negotiations on
the grounds that various necessary potentates could not always attend. They
were happy to exactly how many days' delay, the Swedes would not like to it was
worthwhile to go home in between. A hearing was able to pull out in a month.
" When it ran together at their worst in talks for the first factory in Moscow
got tired in the end Olle Kähr and Rune Ottosson and wanted to travel home. "The
Russians wanted to at least finish with a dinner the following day. Then the suddenly
no important Russians prevented. During the dinner was Olle be sent a A
matchbook with a new spraying scribbled proposed. He Rev. ostentatiously broken
plane and put it in the ashtray. Direct traveled to the Russian chief negotiator
and cheers a toast to a happy conducted business. " A requirement that the
Russians had asked for was to get the drawings to the factories. From Kährs
page was believed not on any more orders. However, the Russians returned. "It
turned out later that they did not understand the drawings. They could send people
into space, but wood technology mastery they did not. "
139-40
Assemblies in Russia was not
trouble-free
Kährs delivered complete instructions for the machines, but it was on
the customer to translate them. It did not always. Nils-Oskar Walther was a
fitting leader for the first two Russian factories. He has talked about how one
day at a door factory on their own initiative started push doors, but it was
not good: "The doors would be forty-two millimeters thick but pushed up to
more than ten millimeters. The doors had been pressed with high pressure. There
stood now and could not understand why, and wanted to complain about the press.
The Russians thought it was totally useless. The problem was that nobody had translated
instructions. "
Secret codes for Russian prices
Soren Flink was one of the true trotjänarna on Kährs Machinery. He
stayed there until retirement 1992nd In other words, long after the the kährska
ownership of the company had ceased and the Finnish owners took over. When Soren
Flink started at Kährs machines would be placed on a foreign market, meet new
languages and was quite unaware of new markets commodity grades. Previously,
Kährs barely exported anything at all. The contracts were extremely detailed,
while providing that equipment would be "consistent with the highest
technical experience ". How now, it could be proved. "There were
rules for everything, like how the estate were packed in boxes that protected against
all possible. We had no experience with this, but here is a Swedish industrial
good: we could be helpful colleagues when we were not competitors, so we asked
among other things, Tetra Pak and Alfa-Laval, who had business with the Soviet
Union, "has Soren explained. Communications between Kährs people at home
and employees in the East was a special chapter. The discussions took place on
the crackling phone lines and was well prepared. "We sat with lists of
questions and answers. We received questions, gave response and asked new
questions. All along with uncertainty about whether we were intercepted or not.
We had code words with ten characters when we talked about prices. It was
perhaps a little nojigt, but we did not reveal that we were prepared to haggle
fifteen percent, not to talk about the margins. "
141
Brezhnev was one of the visitors
Kährs Machines participated in many international exhibitions. In the
stands seemed often well-known industrialist and prominent guests who were
interested. At its most comprehensive performance had Kährs Machines a booth of
125 square meters which showed a flerklingsåg with the adjustable blades programmed
operation. It was big news in all respects. The exhibition was in Moscow and
the year 1969, as one of visitors of Kährs Machines was the Soviet Government
Leonid Brezhnev.
142
Furniture
Kährs - one of the largest furniture dealers
1944 was formed Kährs furniture which
was later renamed the Home-Kähr and existed until the end of the 70s.
1978 Kährs Furniture was closed down
as a company.
145-46
Furniture in two stages
Kährs
furniture epoch can be divided into two parts. It began in the 1880s, when
production of the spinning wheels turned to making furniture. All kinds of
furniture were sold through dealers. A new era came in late thirties, when the
idea was to instead buy furniture from other manufacturers and sell directly to
customers. Nils Lindvall, who received follow Kährs furniture rise and fall
very close, said in an interview how to trade slowly developed when a miscellaneous
trader named Manfred Johansson took Kährs catalogs, went out in the homes and
sold directly. Gradually built the furniture business is not at all on its own
production. A new concept was to make the ink drawn out of furniture and using pictures
of the products sell Kährs furniture to consumers. A man Name K.G. Andersson
Kalmar cycled around with the signatures on Oland and soon had orders for more
than Kährs had in stock. Therefore, I you outsource customer orders on other
furniture factories, which also delivered directly to Kährs customers. The
picture was also an arrangement with four years of credit, which paved the way for
additional sales. Incidentally, the Kährs Furniture forecasted sales channel for
a number of small and medium sized furniture manufacturers and generated good
with money.
Furniture Nybro sales
Initially,
the piece of furniture a subsidiary named Nybro Furniture sales. When Gosta
Kähr became signatory in 1944, it became Kährs Furniture. One key person was
Peter Kruse, who built up a extensive business in Kährs Furniture. He was
appointed Director of business area, which was to grow very large. At its peak,
had Kährs Furniture forty-five sales / district managers throughout Sweden,
also a lot in Denmark and many in Norway. Several district managers had their
own business, received a consignment stock and sold on commission. A system sometimes
perceived as cumbersome and large, and in some cases not at all
worked. One problem was that Kährs over time were
very large buyers of several of the country's furniture makers. Since Kährs through
their district managers competition with other furniture dealer got the
feedback from furniture dealers' Association. The manufacturers were under
pressure and the what happened to old suppliers found themselves obliged to
disappoint Kährs. As the largest was Kährs Furniture just before the company
closed down at the turn 1978/79. A strange fate, according to Nils Lindvall:
"For
several years before it was painted up stunning views of future. Sales would
increase to two hundred million, but where did we ever. "
Loose plans
In the great
views were business ideas based on the importation of furniture to complement
the range. Nils Lindvall told: "Hyllserier, cabinet frames, and more were
purchased from Romania to a central warehouse of a freight forwarder in
Jönköping. It was also upholstered furniture and more from other suppliers. The
freight forwarder would handle the distribution to customers with their own
staff. Major investments were made on catalogs and advertising. " If this
change has Ola Wilhelmsson said the following: "The closure of Kährs furniture
due to a change in a fool of business ideas real content of the Pousette-time.
There was a strong activities that generated both operating and net interest
income. Ingemar Pousette wanted to change the arrangement, which meant that
Kährs furniture would buy furniture from Eastern Bloc countries and selling
them through a large central warehouse in Jönköping. There was the big loads
with more or less broken items. It was a mess and almost no orders for goods.
Margins disappeared and the business was totally destroyed. " Sales during
the last ten years to 30-40 million per year. The entire operation including
the brand Home Kähr sold to Furniture store chain AB Skillingaryd, where about
15 of Kährs previous sellers had continued employment. Just as many other of
Kährs furniture salesman
had started
their own business.
148-49
Furniture sales of moonlighting
In the
Stockholm City Hall walked young married eager to seek government residence
loans. The money was supposed to be enough to put live in a small apartment.
Outside the town hall stood Tage Gummesson and sold furniture for Kährs. He
handed out a pamphlet and tried to bring young pairs of numbers. Then he rang
them up for a visit. Thus began Tage Gummesson his career as a salesman. From
Kährs Nybro he had a couple of bags with pictures of furniture and samples on
wood and fabric. So, sales to 1945. Furniture sale was a moonlighting for him.
By day, he was tram conductor in Stockholm. The first contact with Kährs
Furniture Tage had when he was getting married, put live and therefore needed
furniture. He told me: "My mother had been in contact with a guy named
Peter Kruse Kährs in Nybro. He came up to Stockholm and we ordered the
furniture for two bedroom apartment. When the deal was prearranged Kruse wanted
to invite to dinner and it became Berns. Best as we sat there and ate, he said:
"I think you to start selling the furniture for us. "
From furniture to flooring
Tage Gummesson decided right away to extra
break as a furniture salesman. While he had stopped at the tram and got a job
as a salesman inter alia malbekämparen Maletta and Karlsssons adhesive. He
traveled in Smaland, SWE and all over the place and sold the glue. Furniture,
he sold the nights he was home in Stockholm. Adhesive manager was very pleased
with Tage Gummessons efforts and saw any time that he stopped selling
furniture. Well, okay, Tage had answered vaguely. So one day he had a furniture
customer and asked for the phone number so that SJ could call when the
furniture arrived. "I'll never forget the girl who would marry read out
the phone number. It was himself the manager's number. Among a million people
... Then it felt like it was time to
stop the furniture, so called Tage to Peter Kruse but he would not listen to
the ear. Kruse had just followed Gustaf Kähr to Kastrup. Before the flight took
off to the United States proclaimed Gustav that he wanted Tage Gummesson on
Kährs office in Stockholm. Tage visited the office, asked for reconsideration
but was unable to remain more than one day. 1 January 1952, he began, but not
with furniture sales. Instead, he would now sell floor. The office in Stockholm
was Gosta Kähr manager. When he moved to a local on Sveavägen got Tage take
care of the office. He later became district manager and had to travel to
northern and Norway. During the last five years before retirement, 1980-84, was
Tage sales leader for Sweden, but continued even to go to Norway. Of course,
had much changed since he began his career outside City Hall, or when he drove
the by Sweden in a Skoda with furniture on the roof.
151
Began
to stop cinema armchairs
Nils Lindvall worked on Kährs in almost exactly
half a century, and was follow Kährs development from the 1930s until 1986. The
upholstery apprenticeship he received in 1937 initially to stop the movie
theater chairs. His father Mauritz Lindvall was plant manager at Kährs since
1929. He had succeeded Sture Kähr, Gustaf Kärhrs brother at a young age died of
tuberculosis. With that background it was natural that Nils workplace became Kährs.
The upholstery shop he later advanced to manager. In the workshop peaked worked
there between fifteen and twenty men. Upholstered armchairs cinema was a great
article in furniture. The armchairs required much upholstery. Soon extended
course also Gustav Kähr range of wall panels to the cinemas. The entire movie
theaters, including assembly, including deliveries to Stockholm. A memory that
Nils Lindvall had from those years was the concert hall in Karlskrona with wall
panel from Kährs. "I remember it especially because Duke Ellington were
among the early guests there. The Duke was one of my favorites. " Furniture
carried by horse and carriage A rounder for Kährs was Enoch Bohman. He joined
1929 After two years at the paint shop, he was taking care of the furniture
store until in 1932 he began driving the company truck and took care of
transportation locally. The manufacture of furniture and interiors were
extensive. A longer delivery was to the Hotel Ritz at the Central Station in
Gothenburg, where you delivered 90 complete room furnishings. In Gothenburg,
hired porters but they neglected their duties and broke a lot of furniture.
Enoch and Eric Sjolin therefore sent there and had to carry the furniture in
the six storey hotel which had no elevator. It took them 14 days to carry. When
World War II broke out in 1939 requisitioned crown Kährs truck. Transport were
arranged in another way. Local used horse-drawn carriage to ship the furniture.
In August 1942, they bought the horse Freya, a horse which was a typical
feature of Nybros urban over many years. Horse era did not end until 1963, when
the company became the tractor transports.
152
Toys and games
Before Christmas rewarded
employees at Kährs through the traditional toy distribution to employees.
1947, each item of SEK 10,
plus five crowns for each child.
The 1960s, while manufacturing
toys.
154
Toys were also a product for
export
For several decades, had Kährs a leading position and was the second-largest
toy factory in Sweden. The years immediately following World War II had toy
factory, even a fairly substantial exports. When production was most intense
produced about 150 different types of toys and board games. The toy catalogs
presented the entire range. There were buses, trams, fire engines, trolley
buses, sports cars and trains, as well as sailing boats, lawn mowers, various
animals on wheels, hobby-horses, rocking horses, doll prams, looms, building
blocks, kulramar and blackboards. All made of wood. It also produced a variety
of board games games such as croquet, bocce, bowling, chess where, of course also
made the plays, couronnespel, fortuna games, pickpocketing, LUDO with more. The
toy output was the production of a variety of complementary furniture. Hit
counted table, ranging from sewing table and game table to leaf table, as well
Secretaires, bookshelves, but also baby gates and highchairs in different
varieties and armchairs, even stuffed armchairs made of birch. Closely related
to furniture production was also the manufacturing of various children-and yet
furniture. Some products also went under the name crafts and specialty items
and could be pallets, work-box, standard box and knife boxes, and even bird
feeders. The diversity and wealth of ideas was great and impressive.
156
Like Santa’s Workshop
As Christmas approached, it shone in the factory plant every window.
Then I knew that the peak season for toy was inside what was then almost
resembled Santa's workshop. At its peak workforce amounted to a few hundred persons.
Diligent hands and machines in the workshops ensured that amounts of all the
toys that children could think of was made. Toys and furniture were sold across
the country and even outside Sweden boundaries. In the book of Nybro Köpings
history describes it like this: "The Kährska plant is represented in every
city, town and municipal society in our country. The Scandinavian neighbors and
England are the users of factory work. The latter country buy the most cheap
mass articles. " Before Christmas rewarded employees at Kährs through the
traditional toy distribution to employees. 1947, each of which goods SEK 10
supplemented with 5 bits for each child. Small looms a great product Production
gradually became fully mechanized and they laid up the production in large
batches, which could mean 5000 small looms on a time or 10 000 of the popular
building enclosure. The looms were manufactured for up to 20 000 copies a year.
Even when Kährs main production eventually became lamelldörrar and engineered
flooring was toy manufacturing an important part of the effort to utilize the
wood raw material efficiently. Spills Bits of small dimensions were used to
toys. But it also went to another timber for toys, including Another was
plywood and hard wood fibreboard important materials in modern
träleksaksframställning. In order to create imaginative fancy toys were painted
and decoratedthose in bright colors which spurred children to play. The
patterns were signatories as standard providers had contact with. The
requirement was that the toys would be sustainable. Examples of product and
quality development was to one after using the spray gun and stencils for
decorating went over to a new method, which meant that the paint was pulled
over a silk kerchief where the pattern would be reproduced was infotograferat. The
method gave more consistent and finer lines than before. The painting became a
dipping and using a particular cellulosic varnish, to give a hard enamel surface.
So strong that you could not break the color it is claimed. Doors and floors
created afterwards so great a demand that leksaksoch furniture production
gradually phased out and discontinued. Toy however, produced until the early
60's.
This
year's news 1948
1948 was a record year for toy manufacturing. This
was attributable to several News and collection had never been so fashionable
and of good enough quality as it was then, according to Gosta Blomquist, who
was sales manager. News was ankfamiljen which both rocking and let
"quack-quack" also bowling game, a new children's furniture with
chairs and tables decorated Mother's Little Olle motif, a doll bed and fortuna
game. The game Fortuna became a great success by its excellent performance with
felt dressed surface, natural colored birch frame, automatic feeding of balls
and firing spring instead of stick. A new manufacturing method was In addition
to all 216 nails were put in at once. While the previous articles: the small
loom, chess boards, LUDO, farms, garages, building boxes and couronnespel sold
well. Sales had also risen to the big stores, such as to Ahlen & Holm and
PUB. 70 cents for a croquet ball An invoice from 1925 shows that Mr. Wilhelm Olander
Nybro had to pay 6:40 for four balls and an equal number of clubs to a croquet
game that he ordered. Kloten cost 70 cents each and the clubs 90 cents. In a
price list from 1955 it appears that a rocking horse cost 7:20 kr, a ankfamilj
3.75; a couronnespel 9:75 and Fortuna game SEK 11 evenly.
161-62
Her
husband, manager and person Gustaf Kähr
"At Garfield wardrobe was always pad and
pencil" Gustav is not like ordinary boys, neighbors said the wives of his
mother, Selma. That he was a peculiar man, with an unusually high ability to
find the and the inventor, said he and Garfield's wife Ebba Kähr. The couple
lived together for 43 years. She told me that on the night table Gustaf always
low block and pen. "His brain was working all the time with new ideas and
inventions. After a long sleepless night could block may be filled with notes. In
the 30's I saw small pieces of paper with sketches of a new type of flooring,
made of small pieces of pine and oak. Then he began to manufacture a new product,
flooring ". Characteristic of Gustaf Kähr was that he was not content with
simply come up with new ideas and solutions and think of new designs, but he
realized it too. He made what he thought and successfully managed to sell
their products. Even at 15 years old, Gustav a factory owner. His mother was
then walked lathe so that he could turning their first julljusstakar with three
arms. Then he packed them into a small suitcase with some sandwiches and
traveled by train or steamboat from Kalmar to Stockholm. There he stood on
Kornhamnstorg and sold their red and blue candles. The year was 1902. Beside
him stood a young man from Mora and sold the baskets, which later proved to be
the legendary great master builder
Anders
Diös from Uppsala.
They met 50 years later on a trip to the United
States and Anders Diös exclaimed: "Was not your Smålander standing on
Kornhamnstorg and sold handicraft goods. "
163
Should learn the lathe
Ebba Kähr told that it was tradition in the family Kähr that the young generation
would learn to turn, so it was also his sons and Olle Gosta learn. After the
candlesticks came the toys. It was, however, beds, croquet games, obsessions
and small dachshunds with wagging tails. All made of wood. It was also
accompanied Games Mah-jong and Ludo, and more. Ebba Kähr has described how
Gustavus for many years took off from Nybro on Twelfth Night and went to
Stockholm and on to Kiruna with its sample bag and sold their goods. He then
traveled south from the city to city. In the evening, while on the rooms, he
wrote out the current orders with their beautiful handwriting, and put the
letter the same evening on the mailbox. The order could to Nybro as quickly as
possible. "Gustav was during this time on the road most of the year. One
year I figured out that he was away from home 265 days. " Gradually making
the furniture. At the Stockholm Exhibition 1930, Kährs a booth with a bedroom
furniture in functional style. When flooring production commenced and Gustav
got the first patent on flooring had Kährs moved the sales office in Stockholm.
The same house was Grahns Patent Office. "Went there Gustavus many times
to discuss their patents. During the years it became a total of more than 20
patents he took out. "When building rush began in the postwar Sweden, the
demand for new material great. Gustav got a new and larger portfolio with
samples of Kährs new lamellbräda and there were new trips, now to builders and architects.
164
"During the summer, our summer place in Kolboda almost a boarding
house. These were construction people to meet in happy shapes, with fishing and
bridge, and next morning they went to the factory in Nybro to see on the
production floor. " Ebba went with an interpreter In order to exploit
their floors and patented a new market began to Gustav Kähr his travels to
America in the early 1950's. If these trips told
Ebba: "I went along partly as interpreter, but Gustav soon learned
really good English by natural method. In the U.S. we came in contact with among
others, Bruce Flooring Co., the largest flooring manufacturer on the West Coast
At that time, and also met Swedish-American. We visited Seattle and Tacoma in
Washington State where the new electronic automatic machines were manufactured.
There, we bought a press with elektronöga, a witchcraft the first time you saw
it in the work of sorting the treads. " According to Ebba Kähr Gustaf
fully operational, was on his feet all day, ran the mill stairs, always active
and creative until his last year when Gustav was 84 years old.
165
Gustaf Kähr 60 years and the
whole speech ...
1947 filled Gustav Kähr 60. While he summarized 40 yearsmanager of AB
Gustaf Kähr. In addition, the
company celebrated the 90th anniversary celebration.There was also a
generational change in management this year.The company offered early in the
employees to a party every year. A feast out of the ordinary was this party at
the Spa Park. The day after the big celebration was the employees time off! The
speech delivered by Gustaf Kähr kept the festivities August 22, 1947 describes
the company's development from the early 1900s and the objectives he himself
had, as well as his thoughts on the future Kährs when he left over responsibility
to his son Olle (Olaf) Kähr. "Your memory gift for my mind 40 years. If we
stay there for a moment and look at the conditions at the time, we are
surprised by how small conditions were that we lived in. If I see another 8-9
years back, I remember that the first business trip I did result in a sale of
pickpocketing to Appeltofts and Dill's Business in Kalmar for 70 dollars. The
following year I visited Karlskrona and selling similar goods to be
approximately 125 crowns to Rob. Ekecrants Stationery. In 1902 I started my
first trip to the capital, and had wooden candlesticks in my sample collection.
I finished the business with different customers for it for me giddy amount of
2200 dollars. How did Nybro town out in the early 1900s? The only industry was
a match factory and they were impressed when they heard the master's works salary
was as high as 12 coins each week. Working hours were from at. 6 am to pm. 6
PM. Rents were highest for two-room flat 10 per month and at Mejerigatan two or
three crowns lower. I remember the chairman and two members discussed before a municipal
board meeting an important issue, namely whether they would daring take the
consequences of an increase of the remuneration to the market town foreman from
12.5 to 15 cents an hour. A crusher was purchased and required a reliable
caregiver and energetic leader of the team. It was a small loaf of bread to
share, at the time.
I have always been my
main goal to acquire modern machinery and appropriate work premises and
considered that this was the only way to build competitiveness and security of the
company and to all who have their livelihood from it. In the bygone years I
made many errors and mistakes. However, it is So for us humans to such
non-preventable. Only one kind of people makes no mistakes and there are those
who do nothing. Quite naturally we have not always had the same idea without
friction and battles have occurred. If we for a time at these times had to
change places with each other, had enough of such frictions have been avoided. A
friend told me how he had been a guest at a golden wedding, which any of his
employees were celebrating. Groom began his speech to the bride like this:
"You have always been bitch at me and I've been bitch at you and had it
not been for the häringa, däringa children's sake, we had never been able to
hold it together. But it has become a little better over the years. " I
tell him no episode in any way resemble our experience at These spouses
conditions. I just want that we should keep in mind that if A marriage may be
able to turn out this way, when you started the as good conditions, since it is
surprising that small friction may occur between staff and management of a
company. Thanked all Now I want to take this opportunity to express my
gratitude to all of you for yours work and your contribution to the results we
have achieved under my leadership for 40 years. Most especially, I turn to you
veterans. I have a lot to tell each of you, but in addition is not enough time.
A four-fold cheers for the veterans I beg you, be my help with. A longing and
gratitude in mind, we should dedicate memory for our departed comrades and all
previously closed an interesting job but now for various reasons do not seem to
go. How the apparent award attracted shalt be for you veterans, I have not have
come to certainty. I request, therefore, to confer with you about this and you
are free to act within the framework mandated. As a nucleus for a retirement
fund wants the company set aside 50 000 crowns that are managed by a
foundation. You will be more informed this effect as soon as their expertise
consulted.
168
In recent years, I personally have less and less able to participate in work
with you. I've reached that time when I believe it is true that I also leave
out the line for my son Olle, who during these years borne the burden and heat.
It will therefore be no appreciable change. Board of Directors of AB Gustaf
Kähr now consists of me, Olof Kähr and Mauritz Lindvall. Kährs Furniture Ltd.
of me, Olof and Peter Kruse.
The son takes over A well-known politician said to have commented that
it is rare for the sons of factory managers are placed to succeed their
fathers. They could get some other information, that they are better able to
manage. Is this really so is our case an exception. I put the quiet line in
your hands Olof and thank you for your help and unfailing energy and zeal. My
thanks also to you Mauritz Lindvall. I hope you many years at the Olof page can
make your bet. I myself would like, as far as power and ability to continue to
contribute to our company developments. A reminder, I would do if your right of
access to the company and wish that you do so wanted to appoint insightful, interested
colleagues who, after careful observations to offer advice and suggestions,
which promote the company and yourselves. I wish in particular that they will
devote time and care to a historical review and form an independent opinion on
all reasons for the development and INFORM you all the results that they get
to. 40-50 years is a long time of man's work, indeed, for many it is throughout
their working lives. Historically, it is only a short time. If we all cogs in
the wheels, which operates the plant, pull together, I think that we can
continue to bring the company forward, increasing our funds and funds and
improve our standard of living. I close with the wish: may this come true!
"
169
rationing
The
Gustaf Kähr thought of the employees at Kährs shows the following elements he
wrote in the Disc-Posten in December 1949, when there was rationing. "From
America, I could unfortunately not cause as much coffee, that it enough for all
employees. There was only enough to get married. I know that coffee is
The
most coveted item in the country right now, so I am sorry that they unmarried
had to settle for a package of rice and a packet of raisins as compensation. I
also especially liked to promote my beloved veterans to give you some more. You
know I have them all personally but it would perhaps been a little unfair to
the other, that I could be good even though they are not veterans. What I had
with me, I have now tried to divide as fairly as possible and if someone feels
at a disadvantage, so I ask in all cases the be convinced that I tried to be
fair. " Did you mean "fabrikörn" Disponent Birger Lofgren has
said that Gustav Kähr often arrived to him to talk about different things. One
day the topic was something different. Lofgren was about thirty years old, and
as usual, he called Gustaf of "fabrikörn" and asked him to sit down. We
wanted Gustaf become "you" with Birger. "It took two weeks
before I did it. He had to remind me when I said "fabrikörn". It felt
strange. It was a sensation when people heard me say you to him in the hallway.
Such was the spirit. "
Time
control
•
Service supervisors and foremen appointed stamp not included but will always be
first in his department.
170
Head
Gustaf Kähr
It
was straight answers from the manager Gustaf Kähr about who would both take orders
of, and who would give orders to anyone at the factory. In his instructions to
all foremen, supervisors and storekeepers
(1937-1938),
he stated:
conduct
•
Workers must receive orders only by first husband of the Department, supervisor
or foreman in the department, job manager, factory owner or manager.
•
Workers receive during working hours does not unduly stand in contact with
their colleagues, at least not for matters which do not affect the work, he
just has to happen.
•
The foreman and the foreman has an obligation to the working head shall report,
if they consider workers in his department unsuitable for their employment.
•
Workers receive during working hours does not leave his department without a
valid reason or order from the foreman or other superior.
•
The factory area must not be given during working hours other than the
supervisor's or other supervisor's consent, and the controller shall taking the
control clock stamp in both outgoing and incoming, and in its Workbook for the
corresponding time record what he has done.
•
Därest foreman leaves the factory area, he shall, wherever possible the foreman
or the first man in any department communicate wherever he goes for the
prevention of unnecessary candidates.
Overtime
•
Do not be resorted to more than in exceptional circumstances and may not be
decided by the foremen or foreman without labor consent of the head.
•
When overtime occurs on a unit must also be weekly or salaried foremen and
foremen
171
Back door to the baker
One day,
Gustaf Kähr out that Nils Oskar Walther would go on official business of the
Mariannelund. "Then take Walther my car so I go with Walther to my
farms," he said. There were several such trips over time. He always said,
"Walther" while Walther himself had to call him "Boss." So
did everyone including Director Olle Kähr. Once while on a trip passed
Hultsfred Gustaf coffee craving. "Now we'll have coffee, Walther."
Drive around the corner here and park. Here is a cafe, "he said in his
clear articulation and its easy guttural r Nils Oskar walked towards the
entrance. " "No, we should not go in there. We're going here,
"said then Gustaf. By glass door at the side, they came into a hall. Just
then the baker with his plate full of pastries and kicked open the door. Gustaf
said, 'Good Tomorrow, Master, we would have had their coffee and one of those.
We are sitting here. " Lunch on the day was to be eaten at the City Hotel
in Vetlanda. But Nils-Oskar Walther job on the site dragged on. When said
Gustav Kähr: "I want to have lunch now. But Walther is currently under
construction. Now I go and eat as Walther can eat in Eksjö. " "I
thought the hotel in Eksjö is much better. But when we came to Square Eksjö and
I walked toward the hotel said Gustavus, "No, we will not go there. "
"So he led us on a milk bar on the second floor of a house. A manifestation
of his frugality. " He said: "Now, Walther choose what he wants for
lunch. Then we have coffee. Walther wants to have coffee. Two coffee and either
almond, thank you. " Said waitress there was no almond. But Gustaf Kähr sounded,
according to Walther, cocked like a gramophone record: "We will have its
own mazarin, we're sitting over there. " She took her coat, went out and
came back with two mazariner. "I imagine that similar things happened at
Kährs although I will not directly on any such episodes. He was accustomed to
having their own way, "Walther has said. "There was no extraction of
dust and no respirator. Dust and dust swept up by hand and was run in the large
träskottkärror boiler. There were booths connected to a large fan with
discharge straight into the air. No room for those who had lunch with him did
not exist. People I eat at the machine or bench. But Kährs was not worse than someone
else when it came to the environment. " During bad times in the 1930s hit
many Kährs Employees of unemployment. "But we are little boys made it.
We were economical to run. We had the worst paid and was still rather good at
what we did. "
175-79
Ernst did
not even reach up to the saw table
After six
years of elementary school, it was time to start working. Ernst Hagstrom joined
Kährs when he was 13 years, and so did many of his schoolmates. "We had
hardly any choice. It was obvious that we would start there.
The salary was
twenty cents an hour. It was 9.60 per week. Nine crowns to Mom and sixty cents
to party for ", Ernst said. Ernst Hagstrom worked into fifty-two years at
Kährs, where also his Dad was an engineer and managed the steam engine that
drove the entire factory
1930's.
Even then,
there were rules about child labor. It would have been fourteen years to develop
so-called workbook. But it was not so sure the rules. Avis Was An inspection
was sent the younger boys away, the Ernst said. As a teenager, he came in among
the planes, cutters, saws and lathes. He experienced shavings and dust and a
deafening roar. Ernst's first task was to stand and "take" on a saw.
The glued together six feet long boards into discs that were rather thick and tongue.
They would then be split into two discs to get pages to cots. Circular Resaw
did not the entire disc. They sawed their way through approximately half. Since
Ernst would receive the disc and turn it so that the sawyer could continue with
the other half. "I was so small that I did not reach the saw table so they
could ask Me on a nail box. " Conditions in the 30's work was not the
best. Ernst has
told how it
was on Kährs: "Anyone who wanted to wash their hands had a bucket of water
and a little green soap at their disposal. Drinking water was collected in the
bucket from the pump on Main Street. The toilets had last year with two holes
for the ladies and five holes for the men to sit on. Men's urination took place
in two two hundred liter wooden barrels. They emptied the bucket into the city
sewer system. " 1932 was the
strike. According to an agreement on wages would be skilled workers have 81
cents an hour, utility workers got 72 cents. But after the deal announced
factory Gustaf Kähr that he had no skilled workers and that younger workers
would be paid according to a sliding scale from 64 cents and down to 20 cents. "There
was many skilled furniture makers, machinery makers, sculptors and decorative
painter. The beautiful baptismal font in Nybro church, donated by Gustav Kähr,
is made by various workers. " The strike lasted for five weeks and there
was still much like the factory owner wanted. Little boys who received no union
strike benefits passed nicely by the strike came in the middle of potato
picking season. They took jobs the farmers. When Ernst turned seventeen, he
could join the union and made immediately it. For six or seven years he worked
with the union to collect wage statistics.
This occurred
without Gustaf Kähr knew about it. "I do not know if he would have allowed
it. But he had not
it to do. It
was handled at leisure. " Early became Ernst moved to, as he experienced
it, a little calmer department
in the
factory. It was manufactured small metal parts to be cartwheel, frames for
children's bikes and more. Since it was not long before he started in the
warehouse and never had to participate in factory work. The stock came Ernst
first errand boy and went on packing items:
"We had
quite an extensive manufacture of wooden toys and games: fortuna, couronne,
fox, ludo, chess and mahjong. There were nice things. They were in and out of their pockets and shelves in
the warehouse. It clung me who a monkey and fiddled with the stuff. We also had
many fine furniture, to example, so-called peasant rococo, and racking systems
for movie theaters and the like. " He rose to become head of a department
store and was for many years head of the entire layer. At that time, Ernst
fifty years filled. Ernst has described Gustaf Kähr as both frugal and creative
person. "Economical unit was labeled, for example, every Friday night. The
salary was submitted always in used envelopes that come by post and collected
everywhere the company. A portion of the "men" was as economic. They
returned the envelope so that it could be used again. " For Gustaf Kähr
got nothing wasted. Incoming packing including strings would be saved and
reused. A few boxes of Kährs logo on was never found. Not even the toys had
boxes of business name. The goods were packed well into the future in used
cartons from another was bought cheaply from various shops in Nybro. "Gustaf
Kähr was strict. But afterwards it was easy to understand that the economy Never
was anything further. The money often went from hand to mouth. Before my time it
happened that those who were not breadwinners had to wait for their salaries several
days.
But Gustaf
Kähr worked hard himself and was also a businessman. Although when there were
bad times we had great deals. " After much work in the 30's was
subcontracted to people in the cottages around Ernst traveled frequently with
trolley and package cycle between the different homes to supply raw materials
and collect finished toys and games. "Then I had a good understanding of
how different living conditions were in the community. It strengthened my
belief that it must change for the needy. It was cramped, difficult to hygiene,
tuberculosis was a common disease and any public health insurance did not
exist. " In the homes was also the first yo-yo spinning top from Kährs. It
consisted of two halves with the shaft in between. It was followed by the
helsvarvade model. Gustafsson Kähr found even at a yo-yo with bearings: "But
it was expensive and was due to theft be assembled inside the office. "
180
So it was for
many families in Nybro, to start working at Kährs, it was often the preferred
choice. There are numerous examples where more than one member of the same
family have been faithful Kährs employees. The brothers Bertil Eriksson and
Werner Ericsson were working at Kährs for 46 years and 34 years. Bertil was on the
toy department in 1938, where his first job was to assist Nystrom in the paint
shop. Nystrom molded toys
and Bertil
carried them away to the dryer. At the same time, Kährs furniture and door
manufacturing production was going on. The plant itself was not that impressive.
"There were no motors in the machines, but rather a large steam engine powered
all equipment through pulleys hanging from the ceiling," Bertil said. He
experienced his work primarily when it was a furniture and toy factory. So did his
brother Werner, ten years later. "It
was very small parts work in the toy workshop. This applied for example when he
painted wheels for toy cars. The wheels were flat on the inside. Put on too
much paint in the machinery, the wheels could easily stick together and be very
difficult to take apart. Pins for children were painted by rolling them in
varnish on a large paper. Then the pins were prepared for drying.
During his
first year, Bertil sometimes would go to the furniture workshop when there were
fewer people there. Many were not prepared for the war, that affected the
staffing situation. Most of the time at Kährs, Bertil was a manager for the paint
supply. As early as 1943, he begin to take care of the paint supply, which he
was responsible for up until his retirement in 1984. At first he hesitated the
move. He enjoyed the beauty of sitting at a lathe and painting croquet games
and more, so he first turned down the offer to manage the paint store.
181
Taking care of
paints and adhesives in those days meant not just to turn to the nearest paint
supplier. There were not many ready-made colors. Do not glue for that matter. Everything
was freshly prepared by hand and the colors be the same all the time. Sometimes
the following orders, such as a cot for a bedroom furniture, when it was
necessary for shade would be exactly the same. "It was a very difficult
job at first, but I learned to mix paint and it was very fun to get involved
with, "Bertil later told me. Most difficult of nuances, it was when the
door manufacturing started. "When Rune Ottosson became operations manager
was the customer who should decide the color of the doors. We had a great
sample of the many different colors which customers could choose from. It could
be quite tricky. Some
colors were so
similar that one wondered if the customer would actuallynotice if you took the
wrong color. " As a base for paint supply Bertil was a key member of
Kährs, and was long as only one to know all the colors. When it dawned on plant
management was asked to mark up all the colors. When Kährs After many years was
a test laboratory, first led by Arvid Magnusson and then by Nils Oskar Walther,
were color knowledge stored there as well. Bertil's brother Werner was during
much of his time foreman at the factory door. But even he had to start with
toys and furniture, then came He soon changed to the production floor, but only
for a short time. Then he spent the rest of his time the door manufacturing. He
had to follow the trend and saw how the material in the door cores changed over
the years, from the wooden slats of wood boards and on to pieces of angled
masonry and thence to lamella tretex and finally "Hönsnätspapper" who
was quick to stretch out. "When it went as quickly as did door factory in
Nybro annually 120 doors per hour, including setup times and everything," has
told Werner.
Profile
of Kährs
182-86 Tota
Kähr was attendant to Kährska House
Tota Kähr, Olle
Kährs’ wife, played an important role for Kährs as "hostess" in the
villa. She considered herself not think it was a job she conducted: "No, I
tell anyone who asks that I have never had a job in my life, "she said in
an interview 2001. But it was a rather comprehensive representation that she
was responsible for: "My husband did not like going to the hotel.
Therefore, it became very many more lunches and dinners at our house. At the
beginning of the 1940s was based Olle and Tota Kähr the great Kährska villa in
Nybro on a very large plot. There was space for a golf course with four greens,
eighteen bunkers and nine tees. The longest hole was
280 meters. The
villa offered a living room of eighty-six square feet and the dining room was
not far behind in size. In addition, a lot of room upstairs. But representation
guests who would sleep over was usually stay at the hotel. "We had very
many Russians in training and study visits. When they and drank with us.
"Among the guests were the years also a lot of cabinet ministers and
provincial governors. Among others, the then Minister for Industry, Krister Wickman
a crayfish. In addition, many foreign visits to Kährs established themselves in
new markets. "It was so different back then. We went to the governor
dinners with all the heads of the major industries in the county. And then we
invited always at their own governors dinner. At that time, I felt every
governor who came and went." When it arrived guests to the villa, it was
also often display Kosta glassworks, as Kährs was part owner of the mill.
Periodically
organized also parties for all staff. But then became a house too tight. It was
about eight hundred employees at the time, and were in place to party on tap at
a hotel. Tota Kähr was not only a hostess in the villa.
"It is
clear that I was engaged in business as well. All I was told did go up. Sure, I
became an advisor to my husband too. And he listened on me. " Gustaf Kähr
who in 1939 had moved to Stockholm often came to visit
at the villa. "Then
drank Gustaf and I always tea together in the mornings. We often talked about
old times. He was a wonderful person. We liked each other. Sure, he could have
a fiery temper but that was quick
over. " While
her husband Olle drank tea in the morning. "He walked away when the plant
opened in the morning to see that everything worked. So he came back and drank
tea before returning to the company in office time. My husband became very
popular because He walked around and talked to so many in the factory in the
mornings. When he died there were many who came to me and cried as if they had lost
a family member, has Tota Kähr said.
188 Martin
Nilsson was the family chauffeur
Martin Nilsson
worked not only at the factory, but were also "brownie" in the
Kährska villa. He managed the family's large garden and golf course and
everything and played golf with Olle Kähr. He was also Olles and Totas driver,
but not officially: "The phone could ring in the middle of the night when
they were taken at different sites. I did this in my spare time." Martin
came to Kährs in the early 1930s, and had to start in bonarverkstaden to polish
furniture and interiors for theaters and concert halls. "We were able to
work from four in the morning till ten at night. It could be so much overtime
that I earned eighty-five crowns a week. " 1945 Martin bought the house
next door to Kährska villa. At the same time he began additional crack as
gardening and golf course attendants. Martin was a good gardener. He had not
only the spouses Kährs garden and golf course to take care of, but also took
care of the gardens of several other and its own garden. There was no doubt who
was in charge of Kährska villa. Martin told of an episode:
"One
evening Tota said to me: Now you do prepare the terrace. We get alien tomorrow
evening and sit outside and eat. Then came Olle and said that tonight you cut
the greens on the golf course, it will play tomorrow. When Tota was angry: He
will do the terrace and remember, once and for all, this it is me who decides,
and the factory is you. Olle said nothing, but I told him not to worry. What I
did not have time in the evening would I fix in the morning before I went to
work. " 1952, Martin begin as floor layers on Kährs. Till initially for and
his colleague Karl Nilsson of Sweden, just to take care of complaints. Later
they went around to all housing associations that had floor from Kährs. The
residents gathered in the recreation huts and received instruction in the
floors should be handled.
189 Ella
Karlsson tells of late nights on the writing center
German was the
major language of business for Kährs in 1950 - and 60's. Partly because they
had German customers, through the many contacts with Russia and other Eastern
Bloc countries that were built up by Kährs
Machinery. Ella
Karlsson was very interested in studying German, which she had very useful when
she started at Kährs 1954" I was very happy to come to Kährs, because it
was a place where I had from my knowledge of German, "said Ella Karlsson
in an interview. She started as a secretary to Olle Kähr, continued as head of
the writing center and rounded off with secretarial jobs since writing center discontinued
during the 70's. Print Centre was linked to AB Gustaf Kähr and managed the
print job, but also sold services to other companies within the Group, example
Kährs Machinery. The writing center often worked Ella and her colleagues hard
and long. There were quotes with highly detailed equipment specifications that
would be printed. Often, the job lasted all night. All of the printed hand and there
would be many blueprints. "The job must be run, although it could take all
night. Working peaks could be enormous. We worked hard. Sometimes when we were
finished it was that we cried on the way home, so could it be like when the
stress and pressure released." Need it be said that no additional
compensation payment was paid for the long hard nights at the typewriter and
blåkopieringsapparaten? such was
loyalty to the
company. "I had a good time at Kährs, but you had to work for money."
As summarized Ella his time at the company that she was faithful for 30 years.
190-91 For Birger Lofgren was the architect
visits were sometimes hilarious
Birger Löfgren one of Kährs numerous retainers. He
was employed as a floor salesman in Nybro 1959 and was commissioned to process
the construction market in southern Sweden. Kährs also needed to build a
network of dealers to handle sales and service. Although it was a small chain
of dealers who sold and laid flooring, but only in the larger towns. Stock
Operator dealer was completely missing. When Birger after 15 years left Kährs
and job as marketing manager for Norden had he, along with the mentor and ball
fence manager Peter Kruse and several other colleagues have built up a large
sales with retailers throughout Scandinavia. In the early 1960s, sold large
amounts of sports floors for new schools and sports facilities. Sales of sports
hall floor demanded säljarbesök of architects and designers. For Birger was not
easy at first. He had been employed as a salesman, despite a lack of technical
building knowledge. Many times there appeared occasions when he wished he had
more expertise. He himself has described the architect visits as hilarious and former
employee at an architectural office in Kalmar has often reminded him about how
it could be: "The architects put a lot of questions. I could not answer a
single but wrote down all the questions, went home, took out the answers and
returned. " As Birger visited more architects returned the same questions
and he began to understand what they were talking about. Eventually, he
mastered, as the best engineer, the whole issue of floors, floor and such. In
the mid 60th century, was named Birger Lofgren to sales manager and manager.
Birger later related that it is easy to be too
clever when everything rolls on and is doing well, making you forget and not
think about the threats available. For a time it was so good times that both
Kährs and competitor
Tarkett had difficulty keeping up with their deliveries.
The plant was constructed Nybro out to increase production to one million
square meters of floor year. But you could not, according to Birger, the danger
that heltäckningsmattorna was when they started coming. Soon it became trendy
with carpeted floors and construction companies bought large quantities. "The
risk was obvious that we would get a lot of flooring over."
But Birger said much later that the market forces speeding
up of product development and marketing of Kährs. "They found new species.
The desire to find again increased. The colored certain floor. Oak was
specially dyed for example, recreation cabins and recreational facilities.
" "I also developed myself from this. We strengthened us. In the
past, management team meetings have been concentrated on achieving more floors.
But when supply threatened to become greater than the demand tightened senses
of new market segments. And we created the floor sales team with Ake, Ulf,
Tage, Rolf and the others. Together with Ola Wilhelmsson was I. by introducing
a sales budget. " We round off by talking about Birger's first contact
with Kährs. It was on a school trip in 1944. Ten years old, he saw how Kährs on
that time made toys. In "sekundaboden" became the business when he bought
a broken farmhouse roof missing. He had to pay 50 cents. A visit and memory
etched in him.
192-93 Rolf
Andersén was during all his years the floor salesmen
He has sold
the floor to public buildings, private houses, apartments and condominiums in
Stockholm and central Sweden. In 1999 he retired, he noted in an interview that
Kährs floors are everywhere in the country. He enumerated Brandbergen outside Stockholm,
Nyköping, Norrköping and in the community center in Nynäshamn has a pretty
dark, hard-wearing flooring panga-pangaträ. Even large hotel boasts Kährs
quality flooring, for example, the Sheraton Hotel in Stockholm in 8000 square
meters of cherry wood. When Rolf began in 1951, he was 18 years old. As the
youngest Flooring AB in Stockholm, he was responsible for receiving and
printing out orders which came from the house factory representatives from
almost all of Sweden. After military service, he returned to the company but
wanted to move forward in their careers and raised the issue with his boss
Gosta Kähr. "I am not an office person, but want to get out and
sell," was his answer. Rolf got the go-ahead and bought a nice bag to have
all the material in. Do not press the other sellers on their toes, he asked at
a Saturday meeting the office which construction company that he could process.
He wrote up all of his colleagues had not, then it was time to start. As an
ambitious young man he was, it was evening courses at trade schools, universities
and even courses in ELOCUTION. Rolf felt that a sellers have to like the actor
to convince about the meaning of what is being said. With produktpärmens
content incorporated in their entire being as a well rehearsed script, he must
be prepared to respond to potential and impossible questions. A little improvisation
ability corrupted even then it could arise many tricky situations with technology
that is sometimes not worked during the demonstrations.
Early on, he
became district manager for Stockholm, SWE, wa, Västmaland, Upland,
Gästrikland, Västergötland and Östergötland. He drove his own car, a Wolksvagen
and milersättningen was 60th century three crowns. The gasoline cost 50 cents a
liter. "The pay was good so-so but I was all free. Allowances were not
until the 70's, "he said. His first major orders got Rolf 1967, the same
year as Sweden switched to driving on the right. Now the hustomterna started to
become expensive. A cross between a villa and apartment became the solution for
many who could not afford your garden, but still wanted more quality in their
homes than an apartment offered.
In Salem town
in Rönninge would establish Swedish housing 1230 single-family homes
apartments, Anders Diös was the developer. Flooring AB was the order of 30 000
square meters floor. A business that took home a
half a million
dollars to the company. The secret of a good försäljarkoncept is, according to
Rolf Andersén, honesty and to not promise something you can not stand (on).
Also to be humble, inspire confidence and have extensive knowledge of various
floor's properties. Moreover, it was not wrong to have some muscle strength.
Floor samples were no easy things to carry around!
194-95 Tage
Gummesson on one day in a life w wood flooring salesman
"The
dining room at the provincial hotel opens at 7:00 and gear in Nybro 7.30. You
have to find time for both breakfast and phone at 7.45, I see on a floor that
noted in error. Those who live there are going to job 8.00. I swear woe and
förb.-review button on his jacket was torn off yesterday between the bag and
the elevator door and no needle and thread. By the way I had not managed to sew
on the last night after 40 miles of driving in the dark and slush. The floor, a
23 millimeter oak floors with fogsprång, typical marker of each rule. Have you
used three inch nail this? Nothing but! There we have the error! What, the
carpenter who made the floor has added hundreds of floors (it has the always
done), so he knows how to lay a floor! You can not say what one thinks without
thinking about what they say. Agreement if further meeting, this evening. At
8:30 I arrive at our largest dealers on the site. Review of his stock and
current orders. set of news racks with björktilja. Remove the old samples,
pitching a new floor to layer. Went out to see the three complaints, together
with our customer. One of the floors was a manufacturing defect, the other two
were läggningsfel.25 miles of driving for nothing. Lunch, we were unable to. A
hot dog in a hot dog stand. At 15:00 we will be with the construction firm that
started to build 200 apartments. We will try to sell our stalls to the
building. Competitors have thought the same so it becomes a battle on the
knife. can we ride on our beautiful face or on our quality and delivery
capability. We should probably choose the latter. Any settlement could not be today
- there will be some trips spraying here and there. We are going out into the
dark northern night. Sweeps of centimeters of snow that has settled on the
"metal box" and plow off to my "morning meeting". Carpenter
has called that he can not come because of illness. Maybe he had received a
3-inch nail in his foot. The day begins to draw to a close, now waiting for a
bite to eat in the hotel dining room. Good thing there are TVs in the rooms,
for tonight, it is a play with Karl- Gustav Lindstedt, Death of a Salesman. The
need I see. That button jacket will probably be until I get home to my wife on Friday.
198
Curiosities - memorable events
Union
profiles Kährs Has been undertaken on trade union activities at Kährs since
1917. In the same year formed section 116 of the Swedish Wood Workers
Association, which träarbetarna organized. When the department celebrated its
30th anniversary January 1, 1948 was AB Gustaf Kähr largest workplace in the
area of operation. About 180 employees belonged to the Department, which
practically meant one hundred percent access of the workers. Through the years
several Kährs-workers were the department's most prominent officials. Trade
union pioneers in Kährs was John W. Karlsson, Karl Ljungkvist, Hjalmar Johansson,
Hilding Hansson, Gustav Walden, Algot Blomkvist, Martin Johansson, Emil
Andersson, Viktor Karlsson, Hjalmar Jonsson, Hjalmar Lundqvist and John O.
Karlsson. To become a union member was elected to enter a department meeting. Several
collections is that the union undertook to long-term illness, unemployed and
for funeral expenses. Jointly supported also numerous times members of other unions
who get into difficulties. Trade union work was carried out in addition to
regular work. Out of floor was union contact. 1960 founded the engineering club
with K-G Norlin as chairman. Salaried club was founded in 1948 and became one
of the first clubs in Title 53, Nybro region of the Swedish Industritjänstemannaförbundet,
SIF. Club Chairman Gösta Blomquist. One issue that was current at the first
annual meeting in 1949, the company underwriting of pensions for civil
servants. A question it was not at all agree in. Some younger officials wanted
instead of pension rather have higher wages. Another issue discussed was the
membership fee set at 50 cents per month. In October 1965 ended SIF's local
branch in Nybro and civil service clubs the resort was to continue to belong to
section 6 based in Växjö.
199-200
Voted on factory music
In
the 1940s, were voted on what type of music would be played in plant. The
Disc-Posten could be read as follows: "Gramophone music has been subjected
to considerable criticism especially regarding repertoire. The office would
like to have proposals for panels and all who are listeners to the music factory,
are invited to the back of ballot for working write up the records he or she
wants to hear. At trial, we will also change the times of the broadcasts and from
Monday 21 April will be two ten-minute program times in the morning and twice
in the afternoon, namely about 10:30 to 10:40, 11:40 to 11:50, 2:50 p.m. to
3:00 p.m., and 16:10 to 16:20. Please call in to the telephone exchange and
communicate what you think. "
First holiday
Today,
it is obvious to everyone that every year get their vacation days, but It has
not always been. 1936 was the first statutory holiday to factory workers at
Kährs. They had three full days, while the office when had a week off then
before. In the 30's there was no direct existing working hours. It is said that
working hours could begin as early at four in the morning and last to nine or
ten at night. That during the busiest time for toy manufacturing In November
and December.
Unusual findings in the
office
Gosta
Kähr have told us about an event from the office in Stockholm Flooring moved.
Previously, the German Tourist Board's premises. After moving from a map of
Europe where the needles marked the countries Hitler empire destined conquer!
Lamellposten
Lamella-Posten
was Kährs own house magazine for many years. First number was issued in January
1946. The newspaper was scope to raise both employee contributions and management
messages. The magazine also contained recreational emphasized reading. Editor
was Runer Jonsson. What was expected as of this magazine? The first number
wrote Alf Johansson, who was one of two working-class representatives of the
editorial committee: "I expect that we in the newspaper to be and freely
discuss various problems in the workplace. But Lamellposten should of course be
not be a wailing where pure kverulansen predominates. If I understood it
correctly, the newspaper, among other things aim to wipe out disagreements.
" Over the years published several travel books, several described the
Gustaf Kährs trips to America. He also visited Mexico and most countries in South
America. In his account after his visit to South America, he wrote: "Many of
our newly acquired friends to come you will see walk home in factory premises this
summer. "And so it was. The newspaper made a break in the 1950s, but came
out again 1961.
Factory welcome with flags
Flag
Games at Kährs have long been important and proven which nationalities who
visited the company. The idea was brought in the 40's, when the signature Bf
wrote in Lamella-Herald: "We have recently had a lot of foreigners on visits
to the firm, among others. a representative of Uncle Sam's big country West.
Would not it look nice if we could greet the foreign visitors with their
respective country's flags? It would probably enjoy such an Englishman if he on
a visit here could see the Union Jack fluttering over Kährs mills. "
201 Kährs Products produced over the
years - wood
Spinning
Wheels
Ornaments
Candlesticks
Utensils
Toys
Parlour
All kinds of
furniture for the consumer
Wall Panels
Shop fittings
Cinema Benches
Cafe Furniture
Garden
Furniture
Hotel
Furniture
Fences
Glulam
products
Window blinds
Rolladen
Lamella Doors
engineered
flooring
Parquet
Stairs
Sports Floors
Veneer Floors
Turnkey plants
Bio energy -
pellets and district heating
202 Five generations of Kähr
You can follow successions in
management as follows:
1st Johan Kähr the Elder
1857-1878
2nd Johan Kähr the
Younger 1878-1907
3rd Gustav Kähr 1907-1947
4th Olle Kähr 1947-1973
5th Ulf Kähr (Human Resources /
Marketing) 1964
There was continuity of leadership
Kährs had during the 1900s three
really long-term executives:
Gustaf Kähr 1907-1947
Olle Kähr 1947-1973
Ola Wilhelmsson 1979-1998
The line outside the family Kähr:
Peter Kruse 1973-1975
Ingemar Pousette 1975-1977
Yngve Nordengren 1978
Ola Wilhelmsson 1979-1998
Anders Wassberg 1999-2001
Interim President Ola Wilhelmsson 2001
Michael Bohlin 2001-2002
Interim President Lennart Orsa obligate 2002-2003
Folke Becker 2003-2007
Peter Kaschner 2007
Gerard Ligtman
Per Skårner
Benny Ernstsson
Lars Högland
Christer Persson
After 125 years of family
ownership Kähr family sold its shares in 1982 to the
Ratos-owned Iron Bridge AB.
